For over seven decades, Sir David Attenborough has lent his resonant voice to narrate nature documentaries, earning him the moniker of “the voice of nature” worldwide.
However, in the face of mounting environmental challenges, the BBC recognizes that one voice alone cannot adequately advocate for our planet. Hence, schoolchildren are set to accompany Sir David Attenborough in narrating a special episode of Planet Earth III.
In a groundbreaking collaboration between the acclaimed BBC documentary and BBC Children in Need, a unique episode narrated by schoolchildren will premiere to commemorate Earth Day on Monday, April 22.
The participating children, aged between nine and 13, will bring Sir David Attenborough’s original scripts to life, offering a fresh perspective on the wonders of the natural world. Selected from schools renowned for their enthusiastic fundraising efforts for BBC Children in Need, these 49 student narrators represent a diverse array of budding naturalists from across the UK.
As part of the Earth Day celebrations, an estimated 100,000 students nationwide will engage in a virtual assembly hosted by wildlife biologist, explorer, and presenter, Lizzie Daly. This assembly will serve as a platform for an enlightening Q&A session with the producers of Planet Earth III.
Resource packs, available for download on the BBC Children in Need website, aim to enrich students’ understanding of environmental conservation and empower them to become advocates for nature.
Expressing her excitement, Lizzie Daly remarked, “I’m thrilled to be presenting the Become a Voice for Nature live schools assembly on Earth Day! I want to encourage schools across the UK to download a Become a Voice for Nature resource pack from the BBC Children in Need website and join us to hear more from the producers of Planet Earth III and learn more about the planet, how it impacts our lives and what we can do to protect it. I can’t wait, see you all there.”
During the special episode, viewers will be prompted to explore the Our Planet Now page, delving deeper into opportunities to champion environmental causes and amplify their voices for nature.
Claire Hoyle, Director of Income, Marketing, and Communications at BBC Children in Need, expressed gratitude towards the participating schools, stating, “We really wanted to be able to show our appreciation to schools who fundraise for BBC Children in Need each year, so we’re delighted to be delivering this Live Assembly and we are so thrilled to see pupils voicing this special episode! A huge thank you to all of the pupils and schools for their continued support and fundraising efforts for BBC Children in Need.”
As Earth Day approaches, viewers are encouraged to join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #BecomeAVoiceForNature.
To witness the inaugural airing of the Planet Earth III episode narrated by kids, tune in to BBC iPlayer on Monday, April 22, with a subsequent broadcast on BBC One scheduled for Monday, May 6.
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