Wild Isles


Wild Isles is a 2023 British television nature documentary series presented by Sir David Attenborough. The five-episode series covers the wildlife of the British Isles. Silverback Films was commissioned by the BBC to create the series, with co-production and part funding from the RSPB, World Wide Fund for Nature and Open University. It was filmed over three years in 145 locations across the British Isles.
The Guardian reported ahead of the series' start that a sixth episode would not be broadcast due to a fear of backlash from Conservatives and right-wing media over its themes of destruction of nature. However, the BBC responded that Wild Isles was always planned as a 5-part series, and that the 'sixth episode' was a standalone feature called Saving Our Wild Isles to be released online.
The series received positive reviews from critics.

Score

The musical score was composed by George Fenton. This was the first time Fenton had composed a nature documentary score since 2011. The five soundtrack albums contain the following tracks:

Episode 1: Our Precious Isles

  1. Wild Isles Introduction / Front Tiles
  2. Orca
  3. Geology
  4. Birds Eye View
  5. The Door Mouse
  6. Bluebells
  7. Pollenating
  8. Lords and Ladies
  9. Fox Cubs
  10. Barnacle Geese
  11. Damoiselles
  12. Kingfisher
  13. Gannets
  14. The Puffins
  15. The Message
  16. Wild Isles Trail
  17. Wild Isles End Credits

Episode 2: Woodland

  1. Opening Titles
  2. The Eagle
  3. Woodlands
  4. Robin's Friend
  5. Pollen
  6. Capercaillie
  7. The Ants
  8. Roe Deer
  9. The Emperor
  10. Strange Love
  11. Red Squirrel
  12. Honey Buzzard
  13. Fallow Deer
  14. Fungi
  15. Starling, Pt. 1
  16. Starlings, Pt. 2
  17. Wild Isles End Credits

Episode 3: Grassland

  1. Opening Titles
  2. Grassland Intro
  3. The Hares
  4. The Macca
  5. Lapwing Chick
  6. The Fens
  7. Wild Horses
  8. Battling Horses
  9. Avoiding The Owl
  10. Witchcraft
  11. Rabbits and Foxes
  12. Invader
  13. The Highland Fight
  14. Adders
  15. Han Harrier
  16. Stags
  17. Wild Isles End Credits

Episode 4: Freshwater

  1. Opening Titles
  2. Dragonfly and Introduction
  3. River Journey
  4. Dolphins Chase
  5. Upstream and Leaping the Falls
  6. Salmon Breeding
  7. Beaver and Kits
  8. Spidery Courtship
  9. Bats at Night
  10. Toads Crossing
  11. Toadlets
  12. Mayfly
  13. The Shrew
  14. Grebes
  15. The Knots
  16. Wild Isles End Credits

Episode 5: Ocean

  1. Opening Titles
  2. Marine
  3. The Seal Fight
  4. Exploring the Shallows
  5. The Seahorse
  6. The Cuttlefish Story
  7. Sea Slugs
  8. Crabs en Masse
  9. The Tides
  10. Starfish Hunting
  11. Otters
  12. Protecting the Home
  13. Exotic Creatures Basking Sharks
  14. Skilful Hunters
  15. Marine
  16. Wild Isles End Credits

Spelling Mistakes

Some of the names of the tracks contain spelling errors, e.g. "door mouse" rather than dormouse, "pollenating" rather than pollinating, "damoiselles" rather than demoiselles, "han harrier" vs hen harrier, "macca" vs machair etc.