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Hugh Bonneville to Narrate The Secret Lives of Animals

Today, Apple TV+ announced an all-new 10-part docuseries, The Secret Lives of Animals, narrated by SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville (Paddington, Downton Abbey). Hailing from the acclaimed BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the series will debut globally on December 18 on Apple TV+.

The Secret Lives of Animals highlights 77 unique species in 24 countries over three years, revealing stunning, never-before-seen animal behaviors and highlighting the remarkable intelligence of the natural world.

Hugh Bonneville to Narrate The Secret Lives of Animals
Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

The Secret Lives of Animals series both inspires and delights viewers with its vibrant exploration of extraordinary animal behaviors, many captured on film for the first time. Each episode delves into pivotal moments in the life cycles of various animals—from birth and leaving home to raising a family and from finding food to growing old—showcasing their striking intelligence and adaptability.

Highlights include an orb-weaving spider constructing a deceptive “self-portrait” puppet to deter predators, a wood mouse that creates its signposts, and an unexpected relationship between a reticulated humming frog and a burrowing tarantula.

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+
Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

The Secret Lives of Animals is produced for Apple TV+ by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, with Matt Brandon (Planet Earth III) serving as showrunner and Roger Webb (Mammals, Big Cats 24/7) as executive producer.

The series marks the third collaboration between the BBC Studios Natural History Unit and Apple TV+, following the hit, Emmy Award-nominated series Prehistoric Planet and The Year Earth Changed.

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+
Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 520 wins and 2,372 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

The Secret Lives of Animals key art