ITV Studios secures first international co-production partners for A Year on Planet Earth

ITV Studios secures first international co-production partners for A Year on Planet Earth

FOX Nation in the US and ARD in Germany are first to board landmark Natural History series originally commissioned by ITV in the UK and produced by Plimsoll Productions in association with ITV Studios

London Screenings, 10th March, 2021 – ITV Studios today announces two major international co-production partners for the unique and highly-anticipated natural history series from Plimsoll Productions, A Year on Planet Earth.

FOX Nation, FOX News Media’s streaming service in the US and ARD in Germany,  have both joined ITV in the UK in boarding the ambitious and innovative series.

A Year on Planet Earth (6x60) which will be narrated for the UK by the acclaimed actor, comedian and author Stephen Fry, 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) and Dr Martha Holmes (Blue Planet, Hostile Planet).

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.

Julie Meldal-Johnsen, EVP of Global Content at ITV Studios, said: “A Year on Planet Earth is such an exciting and fresh concept, we’re delighted that FOX Nation and ARD have decided to join us on this epic journey into nature. This show has the cream of British natural history talent on board and will bring joy and awe to audiences all over the world.”

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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 55 production labels. Our global footprint spans 12 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, the international center of the natural history television industry, 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 took a significant stake in three years ago. 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. 

About Fox Nation

FOX Nation is a direct-to-consumer on demand streaming service, designed to complement the FOX News Channel experience, as a members-only destination for its most passionate and loyal viewers. Featuring thousands of hours of content, the OTT product includes daily short-form conservative opinion programming and lifestyle shows, as well as a history-oriented documentaries and investigative series, from a multitude of FOX News personalities, at a cost of $5.99 a month/$64.99 a year. FOX Nation is available on iOS and Android devices as well as Apple TV, Web, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Xbox One, Comcast Xfinity platforms, Vizio SmartCast and Cox Contour platforms.

About ARD

The ARD is the “Association of Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Federal Republic of Germany” (“Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland”). With its nine autonomous regional public broadcasting corporations, which are state-independent and publicly funded, the ARD offers a diversity of programmes on television, on the radio and online that can be freely received by all. Depending on the terminal device in question – hybrid TV, PC, tablet, or smartphone – the digitalized media world allows also the time-delayed and mobile use of all ARD programme services. The ARD produces approximately 250 hours of television viewing and around 1,400 hours of radio listening on a daily basis – supplemented by its productions for online and videotext.