BBC Releases ‘Blue Planet III’ Trailer at London Premiere With Blue Carpet, Splashy Piccadilly Lights Takeover

The BBC has released a first-look trailer for the upcoming Blue Planet III, narrated by David Attenborough, who turned 100 earlier this year, featuring an original song from Hans Zimmer and former Little Mix member Jade, aka Jade Thirlwall.

Images from the much-anticipated series, which will premiere later this year, also took over London’s famed Piccadilly Circus on Tuesday evening.

After all, the show, consisting of six hour-long episodes for BBC One, iPlayer and BBC America from the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, was the focus of an evening event at The Venue at Piccadilly Lights in Piccadilly Circus, which was dubbed as the series’ “global premiere” and mixed immersion, special guests and music. A whale jumped out of and splashed into the sea as part of a Piccadilly Lights takeover featuring Blue Planet III video content, plus celebrity event attendees walked a blue carpet, instead of a red carpet.

All in all, the famous spot in the heart of London turned into a rate window into the ocean, showcasing creatures from its depths.

Attendees of the global premiere were also treated to a specially recorded message by Attenborough, who shared his reflections. “Twenty-five years ago, when I narrated the first Blue Planet [season], it didn’t occur to me that I would be narrating a third [season] in my centennial year,” he said. “The ocean is an endlessly fascinating place. In these new programs, we uncover a further wonderful array of underwater life, which is more surprising, more sophisticated and even more important than we ever realized. I am proud and delighted to be associated with Blue Planet III.”

Zimmer said: “Blue Planet III is the most important work I’ve ever done. I’ve worked on a lot of films throughout my career, but nothing affects humanity, our world and our planet as much as the work being done by the Natural History Unit in Bristol. I think everybody who comes to Blue Planet comes to it with the knowledge that it is something that changes the world by making you fall in love with the world. It’s not something where you’re being lectured or cajoled about things but it’s something that just shows you how spectacular and beautiful our world truly is and how we need to preserve it and how we need to love it and how whatever we love we need to treat with great kindness and great respect.”

The evening event for the series was hosted by BBC Radio 1 host Greg James. The BBC Studios Natural History Unit spent about four and a half years making the highly anticipated return to the world’s oceans.

Speaking about the launch event, Zai Bennett, CEO & chief creative officer, BBC Studios global content, said: “For a quarter of a century, our landmark Blue Planet series has helped people around the world view our oceans through fresh eyes. Blue Planet III is the next chapter in that extraordinary story. Created by the unparalleled talent of our incredible Natural History Unit and guided once again by Sir David Attenborough’s astonishing storytelling, this new series reveals wonders few of us could ever imagine and deepens our understanding of the world we share. Tonight’s premiere at Piccadilly Lights celebrates the power of world-class British creativity to stop people in their tracks, spark collective awe and connect audiences across generations — and across the globe.”

Watch the first trailer for Blue Planet III, with the original song from Jade and Zimmer, right here.