BBC to air Jonathan Scott’s new wildlife series

Jonathan Scott’s new series ‘The Truth About Lions’ set in magical Kenya, will debut on 23rd March with BBC2, the second episode will then follow on 30th March.

Following on from the success of ‘Big Cat Diaries’, the two part mini-series (two 60 minute episodes) will discover what makes the lions species so unusual and remarkable, whilst providing the viewer with a fresh perspective on the ‘king of the beasts’.  Observe the profound creatures through the eyes of the people who really understand them and travel deeper inside the pride than ever before.

‘The Truth About Lions’, set amongst the breathtaking Kenya terrain, will explore the surprising science of lion behaviour to reveal their hidden depth, the unexpected intelligence, political intrigue and complex social lives of these iconic animals.

The series aims to not only demonstrate what they do, with beautifully shot wildlife behaviour, but also help people understand why they do it through a privileged view into the intimate detail of their lives.

With the backdrop of Africa’s great Serengeti and Mara grasslands, the team lead by renowned wildlife photographer Jonathan Scott, have tracked individual lion characters over the course of a year, monitoring the way they behave, how they interact with others and watching how their behaviour changes from the tough dry season to the relative plenty of the wet season.  Meet lions who are brave and courageous, lions who are bullies and those who are true politicians - fair-weather friends ready to switch allegiances when times get tough. 

Following the lives of these individuals will form the backbone of the series.  Trying to understand their behaviour will raise questions, and Jonathan will seek answers from experts in the field to piece together the universal truths about these animals.

While most previous filming has been of lions during the day, they are actually far more active at night – and through the use of night filming and thermal imaging techniques the series will reveal the remarkable nocturnal behaviour of our individual lions, bringing a genuinely new perspective to their lives.

Programme one, of the two 60 minute programmes, examines the lion’s unique social life and questions why lions evolved to be the world’s only social cat.  Whilst programme two investigates why being so social the lion may be under more threat than most people think. In each there will be strong scientific themes that relate to, and help us understand that, for lions, sociality is the reason for their success but, may ultimately be the reason for their decline.

This series takes viewers beyond the stereotypes of the ‘king of the beasts’ to reveal that lions are far more remarkable animals than you might ever have thought, and how these amazing animals could now face imminent extinction. 

The guide into the Lions’ world will be lead by Jonathan Scott, who has spent three decades working with the scientists and local experts across Kenya - who know everything there is to know about Lions. 

To experience these incredible creatures and discover the magic of Kenya first-hand, visit: magicalkenya.com