David Attenborough kept away from chicks while filming after expert warned ... trends now
Sir David Attenborough was kept away from fledging chicks while filming his new series after an infectious diseases expert warned a case of avian flu could be fatal for the 96-year-old.
As part of his first ever series about wildlife in the British Isles, Sir David appears on location on several shoots and gets up close to our nation's plants and animals.
One segment called for him to be present while Manx shearwater chicks on Skomer Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast of Wales, left their underground burrows for the first time and took flight on a 6,000-mile migratory journey.
Producers were hoping for 'TV gold' – as the chicks would 'almost certainly' climb up Sir David's arm and take off from his head.
But executive producer Alastair Fothergill made the decision to scrap the plan when, two weeks before filming, reports emerged of avian flu on the neighbouring island of Grassholm.
Sir David Attenborough is showcasing what we have on our very own doorstep – and it's Britain as you've never seen it
The five-part series kicks off on Sunday with the first episode, Our Precious Isles, which features killer whales, white-tailed eagles and even the humble dormouse
The virus, which is infecting wild bird populations across the globe, could also potentially affect endangered species. Sporadic human infections have also been recorded.
'I have an old friend who's an expert on infectious diseases and I rang him up for his opinion,' Mr Forthergill told Radio Times.
'He said, 'Well bird flu is actually extremely hard to catch, but if he gets it he will die.'
The team decided to keep Sir David away from the chicks and instead used two infrared cameras to capture the moment – one facing Sir David and the other a boulder a few feet away where they hoped the chicks would take flight.
The plan was successful, creating one of Sir David's 'classic moments'.
The five-part series kicks off on Sunday with the first episode, Our Precious Isles, which features killer whales, white-tailed eagles and even the humble dormouse.
In Shetland, off the coast of Scotland, filming crew captured Britain's largest marine predator, the orca, developing new hunting strategies to catch seals.
The animals have learned to go silent as they approach the seals so not to scare them off, and even turn on their side so their dorsal fin doesn't stick out of the water and
