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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rose Hill

BBC 'decide to NOT broadcast David Attenborough episode over rightwing backlash fears'

The BBC have reportedly decided to not broadcast an episode of David Attenborough's new series over fears it would spark a backlash from Tory politicians and the rightwing press.

The new series on British wildlife will not be shown as it fears themes of the destruction of nature would risk a backlash.

The highly anticipated series will focus on the Wild Isles, showing the beauty of nature in the British Isles.

Narrated by David Attenborough, the series will include five episodes and will be first broadcast on Sunday on BBC One.

The sixth episode, which has been filmed, is understood to take a look at the losses of nature in the UK.

It will examine what caused the declines and also include examples of rewilding.

An episode of David Attenborough's Wild Isles will not be aired (BBC/Silverback Films/Alex Board)

Rewilding is a concept that has faced criticism in some rightwing circles.

This episode, which received funding from WWF and RSPB, will not be broadcast on TV like the others but instead be avaliable on BBC iPlayer.

All six episodes were narrated by Attenborough, and made by production company Silverback Films.

They are the same company responsible for previous hit series including Our Planet, in collaboration with the BBC Natural History Unit.

Senior sources at the BBC told the Guardian that the decision was made to fend off potential critique from the political right.

A BBC spokesperson said: “This is totally inaccurate, there is no ‘sixth episode’.

"Wild Isles is – and always was - a five part series and does not shy away from environmental content.

"We have acquired a separate film for iPlayer from the RSPB and WWF and Silverback Films about people working to preserve and restore the biodiversity of the British Isles."

The news comes just days after Garry Lineker made comments on the Government's controversial asylum policy.

The Match of the Day presenter got into hot water after he retweeted a Home Office video on its new Illegal Migration Bill and described it as "beyond awful".

The former footballer referred to the language used by the Nazis in Germany during that period.

Lineker refused the delete the tweet, which has brought claims against impartiality as a BBC employee.

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