Singapore, 30 September 2015 – BBC Worldwide Asia and StarHub today announced the launch of a new premium factual channel, BBC Earth on 3 October 2015, 9pm. Broadcast in stunning high definition, the channel promises to push the boundaries of filmmaking to fully immerse and engage audiences in nature’s stories, taking viewers on a journey of discovery. The channel, a rebrand of BBC Knowledge, will replace BBC Knowledge on StarHub TV Channel 407.
BBC Earth will feature new global original commissions including documentaries about the natural world, produced by the BBC’s world-renowned Natural History Unit. From the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space, BBC Earth will bring viewers face to face with heart pounding action, mind blowing ideas and the wonders of being human.
Presented by the makers of Frozen Planet, Planet Earth, Africa, Blue Planet and Walking With Dinosaurs, BBC Earth will also see the Asia premiere of the landmark series The Hunt, less than 24 hours after the UK telecast. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, executive produced by Emmy-winner Alistair Fothergill with music composed by Academy Award-winner Steven Price, The Huntuses character driven stories to illustrate the strategies of both predator and prey, exploring the challenges animals face and the tactics they employ in various terrains.
“BBC Earth is a trusted global brand and we are delighted to offer its world-leading range of premium factual content to viewers in Singapore. BBC Worldwide and StarHub are longtime partners and we are delighted to add BBC Earth to our stable of BBC channels which includes BBC World News, BBC Entertainment, BBC Lifestyle and CBeebies,” said Ms Lee Soo Hui, Head of Media Business Unit, StarHub.
Monty Ghai, SVP and GM, SEA, BBC Worldwide said: “The premiere of BBC Earth in Singapore is an important step in BBC Worldwide’s strategy to inspire audiences with intelligent, distinctive content. With BBC Earth, we will now have a compelling way to share premium BBC factual content with audiences in Singapore and around the world. With an increased investment into new and premiere content, we are confident that BBC Earth will strike a chord with viewers in Singapore.”
BBC Earth will be available in standard and high definition on the Education Basic Tier and Education Basic HD Upsize respectively. To introduce the channel to StarHub TV customers, a free preview will be held from launch to 19 October 2015, 12 noon. StarHub TV customers will need an HD set-top box to view the channel in high definition. Education Basic Tier and Education Basic HD Upsize customers will also be able to view the channel on their smart devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.
In the month of October, StarHub TV subscribers can look forward to BBC Earth’s slate of key programming including:
Shark – Premiering on 4 October, 5pm, Shark is the definitive series of shark natural history, made on a scale never attempted before and revelatory in both content and photography. This stunning series shows the enormous diversity of sharks around the world, featuring over 30 species of sharks and rays – from the previously un-filmed Wobbegongs and Greenland sharks to classic species such as Great Whites and Hammerheads.
Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise – Also on 4 October, Attenborough’s Birds of Paradise will premiere at 8.10pm. Sir David Attenborough has spent a lifetime documenting the natural world. He’s met a great number of nature’s most extraordinary creatures yet there are certain stories of bewildering animals that continue to intrigue him – from the peculiar patterns of a zebra’s stripes to the evolutionary quirk of the egglaying platypus.
Xploration Earth 2050 – Beginning 7 October, 10.45pm, Xploration Earth 2050 is an entertaining and informative series following YouTube sensation, Joe Penna, as he travels around the world to meet leading scientists, inventors, technology leaders, futurists and even science fiction writers to make the leap from todays cutting edge technologies to tomorrows world.
Infested with Michael Mosley – Starting 9 October, 10.35pm, Infested with Michael Mosley sees Michael Mosley infecting himself with some of the most powerful and surprising of these organisms to find out how this fascinating relationship works, from the disgusting tapeworm to head lice and leeches. He is carefully monitored over a period of weeks as his parasites get used to their new home, revealing how an infestation takes hold and the effect it has on the human body.
For more information on BBC Earth, please visit www.bbcasia.com.
For more information on how to access BBC Earth on smart devices, please visit www.starhub.com/tv-wherever.