BBC reboots Walking with Dinosaurs after 25 year absence

Twenty five years after it first stomped across our TV screens, the iconic Walking With Dinosaurs is returning in a major new BBC Studios production for the BBC and PBS, co-produced with ZDF and France Télévisions. Arriving next year, this new six-part series will take viewers on a unique journey back through time, revealing the incredible life stories of these long-lost giants.

In an exciting reimagining of one of the BBC’s best loved factual shows, each episode of Walking With Dinosaurs tells the dramatic story of an individual dinosaur whose remains are currently being unearthed by the world’s leading dinosaur hunters. Thanks to cutting-edge science, experts can work out how these prehistoric creatures lived, hunted, fought and died more accurately than ever before. As the dinosaur’s bones emerge from the ground, the series bring these prehistoric stories to life with state-of-the-art visual effects – making each episode a gripping dinosaur drama based on the very latest evidence.

Across the six episodes on BBC One and BBC iPlayer we will meet a range of spectacular dinosaur species in an array of prehistoric landscapes. These include a Spinosaurus – the largest carnivorous dinosaur to ever walk the earth – roaming the rivers of ancient Morocco; a youthful Triceratops battling a ravenous T. rex in North America; and a lonely giant Lusotitan risking it all for a love in Portugal.

There’s never been a better time to travel back to the prehistoric. We’re living through a golden age of palaeontology that is transforming our understanding of dinosaurs. Around 50 new species are being identified every year, and science is revealing extraordinary new details about dinosaur biology and behaviour. Across the globe, hundreds of dinosaur experts are currently scouring the wilds for new dig sites, and this series has exclusive access to some of the very best.

Jack Bootle, BBC Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, says: “A whole new generation of viewers is about to fall in love with Walking With Dinosaurs. The original series was one of the most exciting factual shows of all time, and this reinvention builds on that amazing legacy. Each episode is underpinned by the very latest science but is also filled with drama – making this a series for both dino lovers and people who just want to be told a great story.”

Sylvia Bugg, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, says: “Our human fascination with dinosaurs has remained steadfast, and we are excited to bring PBS audiences this reimagined perspective on these dynamic creatures, combining engaging narratives, backed by the latest science. As production on this series is in early stages, we look forward to sharing more over the coming year through first-look previews and educational resources, giving audiences a deeper understanding of the dinosaurs’ existence.”

Andrew Cohen, Head of BBC Studios Science Unit, says: “There is no bigger science series than Walking with Dinosaurs and we are incredibly excited to be bringing this much-loved brand to a whole new generation of audiences around the world. It’s the ultimate dinosaur show, where you’ll be hiding behind the sofa one moment and having your mind blown the next. The prehistoric world meets premium documentary production, like never before.”

• Watch the first series of Walking With Dinosaurs on BBC iPlayer