The BBC stalwart has been narrating nature documentaries for over 70 years now, and is known all across the world as the voice of nature – but, as our natural world faces even greater challenges than ever before, the broadcaster has claimed that “one voice alone is not enough to speak up on behalf of planet Earth”.
This is why, especially to mark Earth Day yesterday (22 April), the massively critically-acclaimed documentary series, Planet Earth III, decided to collaborate with BBC Children in Need for a one-off episode of the show.
New narrators are taking over from Sir David Attenborough for a special episode of Planet Earth III / Credit: BBC
But what exactly is it that makes this episode so “special”? Well, that’s because it’s uniquely narrated by dozens of schoolchildren.
The children – who are each aged between nine and 13, and are all said to be “budding naturalists” – can be heard reading from Sir David Attenborough’s original scripts in a bid to both “champion the power of youth voices” and, ultimately, “speak up for the planet”.
The BBC explained that the 50 student narrators were chosen from schools selected by BBC Children in Need as some of the most engaged fundraisers for the charity across the UK in recent years.
There are some new kids on the block this Earth Day…
Sir David Attenborough steps aside for a special episode of Planet Earth III, narrated by schoolchildren.
Alongside the airing of the special episode, the BBC also gave tens of thousands of children nationwide the chance to tune into a virtual assembly hosted by wildlife biologist, explorer, and presenter Lizzie Daly, as well as take part in a Q&A with the producers of the popular documentary series.
Clips from Planet Earth III were also made available so curious kids could have a go at narrating for themselves.
The special episode of Planet Earth III narrated by the schoolchildren is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer here, but it will also be airing on BBC One on Monday 6 May too.
Featured Image – Mark Harrison (via BBC)
TV & Showbiz
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – a masterclass in comedy, colour and movement
Danny Jones
To start with, we’re going to begin this review by advocating for going into stage shows with as little knowledge as possible because it only dials up the already exaggerated nature even further – we knew next to nothing about Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat before seeing it in Manchester.
And we truly think it helped.
Now, when we say nothing, we’ve obviously heard the title plenty of times over the years as it remains one of the most celebrated musical productions on the planet, and you don’t need to be an avid theatre buff to know who Andrew Lloyd Webber is. The point being is that all we knew was its reputation.
Going along with a second party several decades older than us who shared the same blindspot and just never quite understood what all the fuss was about makes the next part even funnier: we both loved it.
Colour, colour and more colour.Some impressive yet superbly simple production value.Our review of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Opera House in Manchester. (Credit: Press Tristram Kenton)
We’re not going to dive too heavily into the story as we’re sure plenty of you who are more well-versed in the genre don’t need a synopsis regurgitating for the umpteenth time, but what we will say is that we’re somewhat glad we weren’t aware of its religious themes and numerous biblical references.
Not because we have any particular issue with Christianity nor adapting stories within theologies to turn them into entertainment, but because as atheists we probably would have been less keen to choose this particular text over another.
However, this is why we’re thankful for going in blind as we fear many others have missed out on this long-standing vibrant, energetic, all-singing, all-dancing twist on the tale of Genesis for decades simply due to being non-believers/agnostic.
That being said, we can confidently assure you that not only can you put your thoughts on faith to one side for the duration of the performance but, for us at least, it felt like it was more of an undercurrent than anything else and had little bearing on what a truly joyful evening for all ages.
You also get hand-held through it through the eyes of the children being retold the story right in front of you by the expert narrator, Christina Bianco, whose interventions and comic timing were lethal on a crowd already easily cracked up by a punchline or two – but she had the best of the lot.
Where else to begin than with Joseph himself, played by Adam Filipe, who although we’ll admit to being layman on the subject until last night, feels almost born to play the role.
Not only did he bring respite to an otherwise frenetic (in the best way possible) onslaught of singing with his ability to deliver certain lines as nothing more than perfectly enunciated and emotional speech, but his voice was on point throughout and the way he made full use of the stage from the start was great.
One particularly immature slide up the curved wall of the set in the opening five minutes and we knew all we needed to know about not just movement but the rest of the cast too; pretty much non-stop movement and expression virtually at all times.
The dancing – particularly a rather hilarious ‘can-can’ confusion – was top-notch throughout and no matter which bright, flowing costume he or the ensemble was wearing during a specific number, they all looked the part and didn’t put a foot out of place.
Even a more serious interlude was welcome.We’d have loved more yellow-forward moment and backdrops in the palette but that’s just us being picky…Credit: Press Images
But much to our delight, there really wasn’t one standout performance that stood head and shoulders above the rest, simply because they were all brilliant.
Whether it was the Jacobs and Sons company of brothers bringing both melodrama and some comic relief, or the score of female dancers delivering an elegance and added level of pageantry to proceedings, they all played their part.
However, every time one or more of the kids took to the stage a show-stealing moment was ripe for the picking and they all seized their opportunity, be it in unison or in the select few solo moments in the spotlight. An audience is always going to get up for youngsters shining front and centre.
But, we suppose if we absolutely had to give another special mention to another member of the production and single them out, there’s only one person it could be…
Having previously played the lead role back in 2016 following his X-Factor success, Joe McElderry returns to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the Manc crowd in the role of the Pharoah and boy was he good having passed the baton and shifted gears. So good and so funny.
As well as an expert command of light, colour and choreography, the one thing we were surprised by was just how well-placed the comedy was throughout.
Not too much, not too little and nothing too contrived – a hard balance to strike and one that helps ease in those rare typically theatre-goers prone to a touch of cringe.
All in all, we sincerely urge you to go and see this show for yourselves, especially if you’re like us and have never given it a chance before. You won’t regret it.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is on in Manchester until Sunday, 9 March. You can still grab tickets HERE.
In case you were wondering who stole the show in @JosephMusical at the @PalaceAndOpera, they all did… but we'll admit the Pharoah is a bit of a legend. 😅👏
Thousands of cinema tickets are being given away for FREE across the UK next month
Emily Sergeant
Thousands of cinema tickets are being given away for free all across the UK next month, and you can get your hands on them now.
As part of Escapes – a project supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) and National Lottery funding giving everyone the opportunity to “enjoy the big screen experience” and “discover independent cinema” – tens of thousands of cinema tickets are now up for grabs in Greater Manchester and across the UK for completely free of charge.
The ultimate aim of the Escapes project is to “bring new audiences” to the cinema, whether you’re someone who always prioritises a trip to the cinema, someone who treasures a visit but only on a special occasion, or someone who’s just keen to discover more.
There is a slight catch though… these tickets are only to see one particular film.
You can get free tickets to see The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan next month / Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
But as far as free tickets to cinema go, let’s just say you could do a whole lot worse than taking a trip to see the the new heartwarming drama-comedy The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March, before it gets its wider release to the public.
The Penguin Lessons – which is inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who takes up a teaching post in Argentina in 1976 – tells the story of Tom, played by Steve Coogan, who arrives expecting an easy ride, however he quickly finds himself in a divided nation with a class of unteachable students.
After rescuing a penguin from an oil-slicked beach, Tom’s life is turned upside-down, leading to unexpected friendships and profound life lessons.
From the director of the Full Monty and the writer of Philomena, and also featuring a performance from Jonathan Pryce, the film promises to be both “humorous and heartfelt” by combining comedy and drama, and is ideal for film-lovers looking for a story that will bring all the feels this March.
This is the second year Escapes is offering free cinema tickets, after already making a huge impact with more than 65,000 tickets claimed in 2024 alone.
All showings of The Penguin Lessons will be screened with descriptive subtitles.
Escapes is partnering with leading cinema chains, as well as independent venues across the UK throughout 2025.
If a touching comedy-drama about a penguin doesn’t really sound like something up your street though, not to worry, as The Penguin Lesson is only the first film on the lineup in 2025, as Escapes is set to announce a range of other new films to preview all throughout the year.
You can find out more about Escapes, find out which Greater Manchester cinemas are participating, and grab your free ticket to see The Penguin Lessons on Monday 17 March here.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd April 2024 
