Sir David Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster: BBC series to explore UK’s prehistoric era - how to watch

Sir David Attenborough will star in a new BBC series following the huge success of Wild Isles. The new series, titled Sir David Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster, will see the biologist explore the UK’s prehistoric era in new depths.

The documentary will follow Attenborough as he unearths the discovery of a lifetime: the skull of a giant Pliosaur, one of the most ferocious Jurassic predators ever known. This prehistoric marine reptile ruled the seas at the same time dinosaurs reigned on land, 150 million years ago.

Fossil experts believe this Pliosaur to be a completely new species and working at a secret location are setting out on a perilous expedition to excavate the skull, and uncover the secrets lying deep within.

Attenborough said: “Pliosaurs were the biggest and most formidable hunters in the Jurassic seas, the marine equivalent, you might say of T. Rex. The skull of this one is, by itself, over two metres long and armed with massive fangs.

“Frustratingly, skulls, which can tell us most about an animal, are only too easily smashed before fossilisation but this one is virtually undamaged and promises to reveal all kinds of new details about these terrifying hunters that preyed on Lyme Regis’ better known ichthyosaurs.”

The 96-year-old will follow this compelling story, joining a team of top scientists and palaeontologists as they unlock clues about this apex predator - from understanding how it looked and behaved, to uncovering the strategies it used to hunt and kill its prey. The series will use cutting-edge visual effects sequences to bring the sea monster to life, showcasing its astonishing size and enormous strength.

Filmed on location across the UK, Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster will combine ground-breaking science with gripping storytelling and state-of-the-art CGI to tell the tale of this most phenomenal predator of the Jurassic world.

Jack Bootle, head of commissioning, specialist factual, said: “David has filmed some of the world’s very best fossil animals, so the fact he’s so interested in this skull makes me unbelievably excited. This film promises to be a thrilling trip through time to a moment when monsters ruled the seas around Britain. I can’t wait for viewers to experience it.”

Sir David Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster - how to watch

A release date is yet to be announced for Attenborough’s new series. However, the show will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on its release date.

This article will be updated when the release date is announced.