ITV Studios inks co-production deal with Tencent Video for the landmark natural history series A Year on Planet Earth

ITV Studios inks co-production deal with Tencent Video for the landmark natural history series A Year on Planet Earth

• Tencent Video joins FOX Nation in US and ARD Group in Germany as Co-Production Partner on unique series
• Exclusive first look will be presented at the ITV Studios Fall Festival non-scripted day next week 

September 16th, 2021 – ITV Studios unveils Tencent Video as their latest international co-production partner for the highly-anticipated natural history series A Year on Planet Earth, originally commissioned by ITV in the UK and produced by Plimsoll Productions, in association with ITV Studios.

Tencent Video, the leading online video streaming platform in China, has joined ITV in boarding the ambitious and innovative series, as well as FOX Nation, FOX News Media’s streaming service in the US, and ARD Group in Germany as co-production partners. 

A Year on Planet Earth (6x60) draws on the most spellbinding and dramatic stories from all corners of the globe. Featuring a story arc across the seasons, it is set to draw viewers in over a number of episodes, unfolding like a drama. The series is from a highly specialised and multi award-winning blue-chip natural history team, comprising Tom Hugh-Jones (Tiny World, Planet Earth II), Dr Martha Holmes (Blue Planet, Hostile Planet) and Grant Mansfield (Hostile Planet, Malika The Lion Queen).

A Year on Planet Earth is a new narrative approach, showcasing the many wonders of the world, revealing the incredible ways in which all life is connected and how massive natural events affect the lives of individual animals. Combining extreme weather, breathtaking landscapes, epic wildlife spectacles and lovable animal characters, this series reveals our planet in a completely new light, uncovering how animals react and adapt to shifting habitats and unexpected events.

Ruth Berry, Managing Director, Global Distribution, ITV Studios, said: “A Year on Planet Earth is the latest addition to our carefully curated collection of natural history programming and is promising to be an absolute treat. It is already capturing the imagination of the global market and we are delighted that Tencent Video have joined us in this unique look at the natural world.”

Lex Zhu, Director of Documentary Studio, Tencent Video, said: "We hope the co-production partnership with ITV Studios and Plimsoll extends to a long and fruitful adventure to bring blue-chip documentaries to our China and International audiences. We will continue to work with ITV Studios to bring  stories about China to the world.”

A Year on Planet Earth will be one of the highlights at the ITV Studios Fall Festival non-scripted day next week (September 22), where clients will catch an exclusive first look at the series, including an interview with Series Producer Seb Illis and Head of Natural History, Dr Martha Holmes.

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About ITV Studios

ITV Studios is a creator, producer and distributor of world-leading programmes that people can’t get enough of. We connect millions of people every day and shape and reflect the world they live in, we are More Than TV.

ITV Studios is home to some of the best creative minds, crafting over 8,400 hours of original programming across 60 production labels. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of 46,000+ hours to broadcasters and platforms around the world.

ITV Studios is part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster. 

About Plimsoll Productions

Headquartered in Bristol, Plimsoll is one of the largest independent television production companies in the UK.  Its BAFTA, EMMY and Academy Award-winning team specialize in wildlife, documentary, live and factual entertainment shows and it is a global leader in natural history programs. Since the business was founded in 2013, Plimsoll has grown rapidly, with a total workforce of more than 400 across its offices in Los Angeles, Bristol and Cardiff. It is behind more than 50 series, 14 live shows and seven films including the Emmy nominated Hostile Planet with Bear Grylls (National Geographic), Yellowstone Live (National Geographic), Night on Earth (Netflix), Rescue Dog to Super Dog (Channel 4), Britain’s Parking Hell (Channel 5), Life at the Extreme (ITV), and Sit Baby Sit (Channel 4).   The company distributes to more than 50 countries worldwide through Magnify Media, a company it fully acquired earlier this year. Today its content is broadcast across more than 70 international territories. In 2019, Plimsoll formed a partnership with Lloyds Development Capital (LDC), a deal valuing the company at over $100 million.