Prince William to feature in environmental TV series on BBC

The BBC will air an environmental TV series featuring the Duke of Cambridge to demonstrate how the “world can be brought back from the brink”.

Earthshot: How To Save Our Planet (the working title) will air before William’s newly launched, £50 million prize ceremony, which is designed to reward those working to find solutions to safeguard the planet.

The five-part series will feature the duke alongside scientists, wildlife experts and environmentalists.

It will not “just explore environmental hazards” but “will investigate solutions which can be implemented to avert environmental problems, and practical projects that can be rolled out across the world”, the broadcaster said.

The series, to air next year, will be made by Silverback Films, whose recent credits include Elephant, which was narrated by the Duchess of Sussex.

The BBC will also broadcast the duke’s inaugural Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, taking place in London next year.

The competition, awarded annually over a period of 10 years and launched by William, is designed to recognise solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems and will see winners, in different categories, receive £1 million each.

Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, said: “The BBC is proud to partner with the Duke of Cambridge on this inspiring initiative which reflects our continued commitment to being at the forefront of environmental and natural history programming over the next 10 years.

“The time to act is now, and the Earthshot Prize will reinvigorate the scientists and environmentalists who are working tirelessly to find solutions to what is a global environmental emergency.

“Our major, five-part series that accompanies the inaugural awards ceremony will inform audiences of what’s being done around the world to help save our planet.”

Jason Knauf, chief executive of The Royal Foundation, said: “The stories of the winners and finalists of the Earthshot Prize will have the power to inspire the world.

“We are grateful that the BBC and Silverback Films will take these stories to a global audience and help make this the decade in which we repair our planet.”