Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY – February 18, 2021 – BBC AMERICA announced today that BAFTA-winning actor Bill Nighy is set to narrate Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty, the new installation of the Meerkat Manor series. A BBC AMERICA co-production with Oxford Scientific Films, the 13, half-hour episodes will premiere this summer as part of BBC AMERICA’s Wonderstruck programming line-up. This will be Nighy’s first time narrating the series’ U.S. broadcasts.
Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty continues the compelling saga of the heartstring-tugging, dramatic tale of survival revolving around three families of meerkats who are descendants of the legendary meerkat matriarch, Flower. Neighbors and rivals who share a bloodline are forced to compete for food and resources in an environment that is undergoing a great deal of change: the Kalahari Desert in South Africa.
Nighy’s recent film credits include Minamata (2020), Emma (2020), the Netflix drama Hope Gap (2019), Ordeal by Innocence (2018), Sometimes Always Never (2018) and The Button Maker (2018). He was awarded the BAFTA for Best Actor for State of Play (2004) and in 2014 starred alongside Carey Mulligan in the highly-acclaimed theatrical revival of David Hare’s Skylight. In addition, his previous work includes I Capture the Castle (2003), Shaun of the Dead (2004), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), The Constant Gardener (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Hot Fuzz (2007), Valkyrie (2008) and The Boat That Rocked (2009). He has also provided voice work for many animated movies in the past few years including Flushed Away (2006), Astro Boy (2009), Rango (2011) and Arthur Christmas (2011). Much loved for his role as Billy Mack in Love Actually (2003) for which he was awarded the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, Nighy also has credits in the Underworld franchise, played Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), and made a brief appearance as Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010).
International distribution is being handled by Banijay Rights.
About BBC AMERICA:
BBC AMERICA is a hub of innovative, culturally contagious programming including the Peabody Award-winning series Killing Eve starring Golden Globe® and SAG® Award-winner Sandra Oh and Emmy® Award-winner Jodie Comer. The network is the definitive television home and co-producer of the most iconic natural history series including Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Dynasties, Seven Worlds, One Planet and upcoming Meerkat Manor, Eden (w/t), Frozen Planet II and Planet Earth III. BBCA transforms every Saturday into Wonderstruck, a weekly 24-hour destination for wildlife and wonder. A joint venture between AMC Networks and BBC Studios (the commercial arm of the BBC), BBCA’s influential shows such as Doctor Who, Orphan Black, and Luther, have attracted critical acclaim and earned Emmy® Awards, Golden Globes®, Peabody Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, TCA Awards and more. New programming coming this fall and winter includes Top Gear, Animal Babies, The Graham Norton Show, CripTales, Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones animated special, Baby Chimps Rescue, Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks, The Watch and more. BBCA is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. Find out more by visiting press.amcnetworks.com.
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About Wonderstruck:
Wonderstruck is BBC AMERICA’S weekly 24-hour Saturday destination for wildlife and wonder, showcasing BBCA’s most iconic landmark natural history programming including Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II, Dynasties, Seven Worlds, One Planet and the return of the Emmy®-winning series Frozen Planet II and Planet Earth III.
To experience Wonderstruck at any time or day of the week, please visit WonderstruckTV.com, a free digital companion site featuring a robust library of short-form nature content, optimized for mobile or desktop. You can search by mood, animal or geographic location to access an immediate burst of wonder.
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