Controversy Surrounds BBC’s Decision to Withhold Final Episode of David Attenborough’s ‘Wild Isles’

It is a voice that almost everyone recognizes: the dark, warm voice of nature filmmaker David Attenborough. He is 96 years old but still full of fire about nature. His latest series is set in his home country, Great Britain. ‘Wild Isles‘ gives a fantastic picture of nature on various British islands: from puffin to otter and from robin to killer whales.

But even before the series started, there was a stir in Great Britain. According to the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’, the BBC has decided not to broadcast the last and sixth episode of ‘Wild Isles’ on TV for fear of right-wing criticism. The BBC responds that it was the intention from the outset to only publish this episode via the internet.

The sixth episode would be politically sensitive and, in addition to the natural beauty of the United Kingdom, also deal with climate change, deforestation and the sharp decline in biodiversity in our own country. The series is also partly financed by a number of nature conservation organizations. And that doesn’t go down well with everyone.

According to Tim de Wit, former correspondent in Great Britain for the NOS, it is the first time that climate skeptics have made themselves heard in this way. “David Attenborough is embraced by both the left and the right. Because of him, all Britons have an enormous awareness of nature. They heard about the plastic soup in the oceans from him. He has put that awareness on the map. An icon in the fight for protection of nature.

And just like the BBC completely independent, not linked to Greenpeace or any other interest group. I think that because of him the British have a greater sense of nature than we do here in the Netherlands. But now for the first time you hear comments from the right wing, they are now skeptical. Politician Nigel Farage in particular comes up with comments and questions David Attenborough’s stories.”