Autumn Watch - NEW SERIES

Back in 2005 when the BBC commissioned a one week live Spring watch show, its drama and news focusing around the busy day to day lives of bustling badgers, nests of nestlings and a strange duo of presenters, I’m sure they didn’t realise the ratings winner that they were onto. Four years later and with the addition of Autumn watch for the 3rd year running this successful format has grown into a twice yearly wonder, increased its air time in both BBC2 and C Beebies primetime slots and has an ongoing massive viewer input – I’m sure which goes a long way for the reason it is loved.

Quirkily matched Kate Humble and Bill Oddie provide the shows main comedic centre with Bill often disappearing down strange non scripted tangents with a sometimes irritated Kate reeling him back in before all sense of why and where they are has vanished. This years main centre for Autumn watch has moved to Poole Harbour, Brown Sea Island to be exact, a rare feast of differing habitats. With Simon King roaming around the country providing in depth snippets on larger, and often more film challenging fauna, our two week Autumn watch sprint is off to a fine start. Currently on location filming Fallow deer (on which there has been many discussions in my household and I hear others of their particular furry nether regions) Simon gives us the low down on the yearly rut – alas so far we have had no comic Simon King rutting roars. Back at Brown Sea Kate and Bill set about re introducing us to some characters we had met before such as Hannibal, the Barn Owl who had eaten all of his siblings live on TV as a horrified nation look on, and provided their entertaining and sometimes strained relationship.

I love Autumn Watch, and Spring Watch, for that matter. You can dip in and out, or you can watch the entire series but still get the enjoyment. You can take part in the forums, set about creating your own “breathing space”, send in video’s, or simply wonder at the marvels of our own British Wildlife. Fantastic.

BBC2 - 20.00 Mon - Thurs, 28th October - 6th November