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BBC stars tease 'hair-rising' new wildlife show perfect for David Attenborough fans

A new wildlife series perfect for David Attenborough fans airs this Sunday, with the documentary-makers now speaking about the experience.

[An older gentleman with white hair is dressed formally in a light blue shirt and a dark blue blazer. He is standing in front of a backdrop featuring intricate geometric patterns and smiling directly at the camera.]

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The new wildlife series perfect for David Attenborough fans airs this Sunday (Image: PA)

Two BBC broadcasters have spoken about filming a magical new wildlife series, that looks to be perfect for David Attenborough fans.

While Blue Planet is also set to be making a return later this year, a new series is set to hit screens in just days, Tiger Island.

It sees the documentary-makers following tigers at terrifyingly close distances, capturing the majestic animals like never before.

In a trailer showing on BBC Breakfast, documentary-maker Dan ONeill is seen walking metres away from a tiger, and saying: That was incredible, she was so close to me. Im shaking, shes so much bigger than I thought shed be. Theres something really strange about being on food with a tiger.

[Dan ONeill and Anna Dimitriadis appeared on BBC Breakfast today]

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Dan ONeill and Anna Dimitriadis appeared on BBC Breakfast today (Image: BBC)

Speaking of the misconceptions about tigers and the dangers they hold, he adds: She doesnt see us as prey. And being so close to her on the ground, it feels really good to be able to prove that.

Dan joined presenter Anna Dimitriadis on Wednesdays BBC Breakfast, where he told hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent : Its hair-rising being so close to the largest cat in the world but I think its also important to say that they are exclusively stalk and ambush hunters so if they are looking at you and you are looking at them, they are far less likely to see you as prey.

While filming, Dan and Anna had to learn how to behave while being close to the tigers.

Anna explained: Because were using drones so much, it meant we could stay at a distance from them, and thats really important as well because you want to make sure that whatever youre capturing is them in their most natural, pure form.

[A film crew filming a tiger in the wild]

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The filming team were hair-raisingly close to the tigers (Image: BBC)

She added: The drone technology that we were using was incredible because it meant we were able to stick with the tigers and follow them like never before.

Talking about the footage that was captured, including a mother tiger with her cubs, Anna went on: This was truly unexpected. As a wildlife cinematographer, I never expect to be at the forefront of new science but Dan was literally jumping up and down next to me because this behaviour is something that has never been captured before.

Somehow, the tigers werent afraid of the drones which the BBC team used to capture footage, with Anna suggesting: Were unsure exactly why. Maybe its because theres nothing from the sky that theyve been fearful of in the past. For some reason, they were chilled about it maybe they think [the drones] are like bees.

Talking about filming the series, Anna continued: People love to watch other people struggle and go through hard times.

[Tigers in the wild]

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Tiger Island features the animals in an entirely new light (Image: BBC)

On this series, on the second shoot we were there during monsoon season, it was 40 degree heat, 90% humidity, so we had to adapt the way we work to our tigers schedules and essentially become nocturnal because it was just so unworkable in the morning heat.

The two BBC stars join sisters Sushila and Manjua Mahatara, who are tiger guides after living in a small village bordering Nepals Bardiya National Park, where tigers, leopards and rhinos live in the wild.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Anna added: They knew everything that we needed to know but what was really magical was seeing them discover the tigers in ways they hadnt before.

By training them in the use of drones, they were able to follow tigers like they hadnt. They were seeing them in a whole new light.

The synopsis for Tiger Island, which begins airing on Sunday, shares: In Nepal, a team of film-makers and big cat experts begin an expedition following two tiger mothers and their cubs, on an extraordinary island full of potential dangers.

BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer. Tiger Island airs Sunday at 9.15pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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