Wild Isles


Wild Isles is a 2023 British television nature documentary series presented by Sir David Attenborough. The five-episode series covers the wildlife of the British Isles. Silverback Films was commissioned by the BBC to create the series, with co-production and part funding from the RSPB, World Wide Fund for Nature and Open University. It was filmed over three years in 145 locations across the British Isles.
The Guardian reported ahead of the series' start that a sixth episode would not be broadcast due to a fear of backlash from Conservatives and right-wing media over its themes of destruction of nature. However, the BBC responded that Wild Isles was always planned as a 5-part series, and that the 'sixth episode' was a standalone feature called Saving Our Wild Isles to be released online.
The series received positive reviews from critics.

Episodes

Score

The musical score was composed by George Fenton. This was the first time Fenton had composed a nature documentary score since 2011. The five soundtrack albums contain the following tracks:

Episode 1: Our Precious Isles

  1. Wild Isles Introduction / Front Tiles
  2. Orca
  3. Geology
  4. Birds Eye View
  5. The Door Mouse
  6. Bluebells
  7. Pollenating
  8. Lords and Ladies
  9. Fox Cubs
  10. Barnacle Geese
  11. Damoiselles
  12. Kingfisher
  13. Gannets
  14. The Puffins
  15. The Message
  16. Wild Isles Trail
  17. Wild Isles End Credits

    Episode 2: Woodland

  18. Opening Titles
  19. The Eagle
  20. Woodlands
  21. Robin's Friend
  22. Pollen
  23. Capercaillie
  24. The Ants
  25. Roe Deer
  26. The Emperor
  27. Strange Love
  28. Red Squirrel
  29. Honey Buzzard
  30. Fallow Deer
  31. Fungi
  32. Starling, Pt. 1
  33. Starlings, Pt. 2
  34. Wild Isles End Credits

    Episode 3: Grassland

  35. Opening Titles
  36. Grassland Intro
  37. The Hares
  38. The Macca
  39. Lapwing Chick
  40. The Fens
  41. Wild Horses
  42. Battling Horses
  43. Avoiding The Owl
  44. Witchcraft
  45. Rabbits and Foxes
  46. Invader
  47. The Highland Fight
  48. Adders
  49. Han Harrier
  50. Stags
  51. Wild Isles End Credits

    Episode 4: Freshwater

  52. Opening Titles
  53. Dragonfly and Introduction
  54. River Journey
  55. Dolphins Chase
  56. Upstream and Leaping the Falls
  57. Salmon Breeding
  58. Beaver and Kits
  59. Spidery Courtship
  60. Bats at Night
  61. Toads Crossing
  62. Toadlets
  63. Mayfly
  64. The Shrew
  65. Grebes
  66. The Knots
  67. Wild Isles End Credits

    Episode 5: Ocean

  68. Opening Titles
  69. Marine
  70. The Seal Fight
  71. Exploring the Shallows
  72. The Seahorse
  73. The Cuttlefish Story
  74. Sea Slugs
  75. Crabs en Masse
  76. The Tides
  77. Starfish Hunting
  78. Otters
  79. Protecting the Home
  80. Exotic Creatures Basking Sharks
  81. Skilful Hunters
  82. Marine
  83. Wild Isles End Credits

    Spelling Mistakes

Some of the names of the tracks contain spelling errors, e.g. "door mouse" rather than dormouse, "pollenating" rather than pollinating, "damoiselles" rather than demoiselles, "han harrier" vs hen harrier, "macca" vs machair etc.