Axed BBC nature show returning to screens in a matter of weeks – a year after it was cancelled
A TOP BBC nature show is making a shock return to screens just a year after it was cancelled.
There was plenty of fan outrage when it was revealed that the popular BBC show had been given the boot by bosses but in a surprise U-turn, the show has already been revived just 12 months on.
Autumnwatch was the late-year spin-off of the ever-popular Springwatch, which it still airs to this day.
BBC bosses surprisingly cancelled the show last year in a bid to focus on its Spring-variant but in joyous news for fans, Autumnwatch will soon be making a comeback.
However, as part of the shake-up, chiefs at the Beeb won’t be reviving the show as it used to be.
Instead, Autumnwatch will return as three seasonal specials set to air very soon as extended segments on daily magazine programme, The One Show.
Chris Packham will be back to front the clips which are set to air between the 29th and 31st of October.
The TV star will be based live at Wytham Woods in Oxford – often described as the most studied woodland landscape in the world.
One species of animal that Chris will be delving into on the show is badgers.
Live thermal cameras have been set up in order to collect footage for the broadcast with Chris taking a closer look at the diet of a badger and how it changes based upon seasonal offerings.
Speaking ahead of the brand new Autumnwatch specials, Chris said: “Autumn is one of the most magical phases in our seasonal calendar. It may feel like things are shutting down but far from it.
“It’s a time for nature to recycle and prepare.
“Those rich autumn colours are a sign of nature at its very best and I’m excited to be telling the stories of the season in one of my favourite woodlands in the UK.”
Last year, the Beeb decided to bin off Autumnwatch as a full-length series after 17 years on air.
The Beeb has stated that the decision to axe Autumnwatch was due to ‘challenging financial times’ and ‘difficult decisions’ that left it needing to ‘focus resources on content with the highest impact’.
Autumnwatch fans efficiently joined forces and created a petition to save the show, picking up nearly 100,000 signatures.
The move forced Chris to start up his own £50,000 YouTube series in its place alongside his daughter.
He hosted his own on free-to-view YouTube live from a Surrey nature hotspot titled 8 out of 10 Bats.
The nature and conservation expert will stream live from the British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield, which is home to the most exquisite collection of native species in the UK.
Chris has spent around £50,000 on the show, dubbed a ‘DIY operation’ which will feature a diverse collection of young naturalist presenters, filmmakers, conservationists and campaigners all under the age of 25.