Experiences

BBC Great Barrier Reef Documentary

In a series of 3 one-hour documentaries screened throughout early January on BBC Two, trained marine biologist and former Royal Marine Monty Halls heads off on an exploration of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. This extraordinary underwater eco-system is one of the natural wonders of the world and the largest living structure on the planet.

Uncovering the secrets of the 2300km reef, Monty travels from the wild outer reefs of the coral sea to the tangle of mangrove and rainforest on the shoreline, and from the large mountainous islands to tiny coral cays barely above sea level.

This series sets a new benchmark in underwater filming technology. Remote mini-cameras, motion controlled underwater time-lapse and remotely operated vehicles have taken cameras where none have previously been; capturing the previously unseen magic of the reef - from its immense scale to the most intimate detail.

Produced by the BBC’s Natural History Unit the series is the definitive portrait of this biological miracle, far more ambitious in scope and greater in detail than any previous television project on this subject. 

Visit BBC's website for more detail.

Watch the Great Barrier Reef series teaser video here.

BBC Great Barrier Reef Documentary Series Producer: James Brickell James Brickell is a two time BAFTA award winning wildlife filmmaker. Inspired by figures such as Gerald Durrell and Jacques Cousteaux, James became fascinated by animals from a young age and filled his parents’ house with a menagerie of exotic animals. After reading Zoology, he followed his dream and now works at the prestigious BBC Natural History Unit. He has directed some of the most highly regarded TV presenters in the business including Steve Backshall, Sir David Attenborough, Monty Halls, Simon King, Charlotte Uhlenbroek, Nick Baker and Michaela Strachan. “I was privileged to spend a year with my family living in Northern Queensland and documenting the Great Barrier Reef for the BBC, Discovery and Channel 9 in Australia. I arrived in Australia a zoologist but with very little knowledge about the reef and its world, the more I learned the more I was amazed. It's one of the most complex ecosystems on earth, everything is connected and everything has its place. Each reef character is more amazing than the last - you could spend your whole life there and never get bored.” James Brickell

About Monty Halls: series presenter Monty Halls is a writer, explorer, television presenter and public speaker. A former Royal Marines officer who worked with Nelson Mandela on the peace process in South Africa, he left the services in 1996 to pursue a career in leading expeditions. Having achieved a First Class Honors degree in marine biology, over the next decade he circumnavigated the globe four times on various projects, leading multi-national teams in some of the most demanding environments on earth. He has presented series and documentaries for BBC1 and BBC2, Channel 4, the Discovery Channel, The National Geographic Channel, and the History Channel. He has also written six books.

Image Credit: James Brickell