Tencent Video boards ITVS natural history series

Ruth Berry

China’s Tencent Video has boarded UK-based ITV Studio’s upcoming natural history series A Year On Planet Earth as its latest international co-production partner.

Tencent joins FOX Nation in US and ARD Group in Germany on the project, which was originally commissioned by ITV in the UK and is being produced by Plimsoll Productions, in association with ITV Studios.

The 6 x 60-minute series draws on dramatic stories from all corners of the globe and features a story arc across the seasons. It comes from a blue-chip natural history team including Tom Hugh-Jones (Tiny World, Planet Earth II), Dr Martha Holmes (Blue Planet, Hostile Planet) and Grant Mansfield (Hostile Planet, Malika The Lion Queen).

Combining extreme weather, breathtaking landscapes, epic wildlife spectacles and lovable animal characters, the series aims to reveal our planet in a completely new light, uncovering how animals react and adapt to shifting habitats and unexpected events.

Ruth Berry, MD of global distribution at ITV Studios, commented: “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 at Tencent Video, meanwhile added that he hoped the co-production partnership with ITV Studios and Plimsoll will be “a long and fruitful adventure.”