It takes you everywhere

From Earth’s parched deserts and unforgiving poles, to its greenest jungles and deepest oceans, Hostile Planet takes an unflinching look at how animals are forced to adapt in the most extreme conditions mother nature has to offer. Fail to survive in these perilous environments and, well, you can probably guess what happens next. As a profile of the beauty and brutality found across our planet – and how the natural landscape is changing at a rapid rate – this is as thorough as it gets.

Bear Grylls is your host!

Guiding you through Hostile Planet is survivalist Bear Grylls, a man who knows a thing or two about what it takes to make it out of the wild in one piece. Bear will be on hand to give viewers a close-up look at the life-threatening conditions the animals face. “This is a totally fresh look at the ruthlessness and fragility of Earth,” says Grylls. “Get ready for a survival story unlike any other.”

The show’s makers are top drawer

As you might imagine from a series produced by Academy Award winner Guillermo Navarro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and the BAFTA-winning team behind Planet Earth II and Blue Planet, Hostile Planet has the scope and ambition of a five-star nature series. Like cheetahs chasing down gazelles for their next meal, these guys know what they’re doing. And with Benjamin Wallfisch (Blade Runner 2049) on board to provide an epic orchestral score, the grisly grandeur of mother nature never sounded so good.

It’s got some big numbers

Hostile Planet was shot over 1,300 days across all seven continents, resulting in around 1,800 hours of footage. Not only that, 245 crew members worked on location, using state-of-the-art technology to get closer than ever before to the stars of the show.

You’ll see an on-screen first!

Hostile Planet is packed with unforgettable moments that are sure to leave you breathless, including a jaguar tackling a giant caiman, and barnacle geese chicks indulging in a spot of base jumping. The film-makers also managed to capture something never before seen on a nature series: an Arctic wolf hunting down a muskox. It’s an incredible sequence that truly captures the ferocious spirit of nature at it wildest.

Hostile Planet, Sunday 28 April, 9pm, National Geographic/HD (CH 266/268). Also available for 30 days in Catch Up > Channels > National Geographic