Paddington and Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has confirmed his next television role, with the actor set to turn to voice work.
The star will narrate The Secret Lives of Animals, a 10-part documentary series from Apple TV+ that “highlights the brilliant intelligence of the natural world”.
With a release date set for December 18, the show will, as per the logline, “inspire and delight viewers with its vibrant exploration of extraordinary animal behaviours, many captured on film for the first time".
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“Each episode delves into pivotal moments in the life cycles of various animals - from birth and leaving home to raising a family, and from finding food to growing old - showcasing their striking intelligence and adaptability.
“Highlights include an orb-weaving spider constructing a deceptive ‘self-portrait’ puppet to deter predators; a wood mouse that creates its own signposts; and, an unexpected relationship between a reticulated humming frog and a burrowing tarantula.”
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The Secret Lives of Animals was shot over the course of three years, with 77 unique species being highlighted across 24 countries. The show is produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, marking the third collaboration with Apple TV+ following Prehistoric Planet and The Year Earth Changed.
Whilst it’s just over a month until Bonneville will be heard in The Secret Lives of Animals, the actor can currently be seen on the big screen in Paddington in Peru, the third instalment in the series.
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Bonneville, who plays Henry Brown in the trilogy, recently spoke about the seven-year gap between the latest entry and its predecessor, explaining: “Obviously, the pandemic got in the way, and then there were all sorts of behind-the-scenes ups and downs.
“But at the heart of it was always [director] Dougal Wilson doggedly with his storyboard and his ideas and constantly revising them… We finally got there, and it's lovely to see this over the line and out there. The feedback we're beginning to get is really lovely and positive.”
The Secret Lives of Animals streams on Apple TV+ on December 18. Paddington in Peru is in cinemas now.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
