Mike Gunton Explained

Mike Gunton is a British television producer and a senior executive at the BBC Natural History Unit, the world's largest production unit dedicated to wildlife film-making.^[1] In November 2009 he became the Unit's first Creative Director.^[2]

As Creative Director of BBC Studios Natural History Unit, he is responsible for bringing new and pioneering stories about the natural world to global audiences,^[3] including the BAFTA and Emmy winning Planet Earth II, which was viewed by millions worldwide^[4] . In 2018, his ground-breaking animal behaviours series, Dynasties, won a number of awards and was acclaimed by Sir David Attenborough as inventing a new genre in natural history film making.^[5] A fellow of the Royal Television Society, he also speaks internationally and is an ambassador for natural history making, BBC Studios and the natural world.^[6]  

He was the executive producer of Life, a nature documentary series which revealed the adaptive survival strategies of animals around the world, and as the co-author (with Martha Holmes) of the accompanying book. He co-directed (with Holmes) a feature film version of Life, and was the executive producer of a major BBC One series on African wildlife, broadcast in 2013.^[7]

Film and TV credits

• Prehistoric Planet (2022-2023) - executive producer
• The Green Planet (2022) - executive producer
• Dynasties (2018) - executive producer
• Planet Earth II (2016) - executive producer
• Life Story (2014) - executive producer
• Hidden Kingdoms (2014) - executive producer
• Africa (2013) - executive producer
• One Life (2011) - co-director
• Madagascar (2011) - executive producer
• (2010) - executive producer
• Life (2009) - executive producer
• Yellowstone (2009) – executive producer
• Galápagos (2006) – executive producer
• Life in the Undergrowth (2005) – executive producer
• (2005) – executive producer
• Journey of Life (2005) – executive producer
• Nile (2004) – executive producer
• (2004) – executive producer
• Natural World (2001-2004) – series editor
• Steve Leonard's Extreme Animals (2002) - executive producer
• Steve Leonard's Ultimate Killers (1999-2001) - executive producer
• Animal People (1997-1999) – series producer
• Violent Planet (1999) - series producer
• Tales from the Riverbank (1997) - series producer
• Natural Neighbours (1994) - series producer
• The Trials of Life (1990) – producer

Episode "Finding Food"

Episode "Home Making"

Episode "Once More into the Termite Mound: The Making of The Trials of Life"

Notes and References

1. Web site: Directory of Production Companies . The International Association of Wildlife Filmmakers . 2009-01-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100829134620/http://www.iawf.org.uk/directory.aspx?page=5&dcatid=1000 . 2010-08-29 .
2. Web site: NHU head Jackson makes mark with key exec changes . Broadcast magazine . Katherine . Rushton . 2009-11-19.
3. News: Koblin. John. 2020-01-15. Nature Shows Are Hot Again. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-09-09. 0362-4331.
4. News: Wollaston. Sam. 2016-11-07. Planet Earth II review: Attenborough's rollercoaster wildlife tour returns. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-09-09. 0261-3077.
5. Web site: Dynasties review: David Attenborough's new series is immaculate. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/dynasties-bbc-one-review-david-attenborough-chimpanzees-a8626141.html . 14 May 2022 . subscription . live. 2020-09-09. The Independent. 12 November 2018 . en.
6. Web site: 2020-01-30. Mike Gunton - Creative Director, BBC Studios Natural History Unit. 2020-09-09. Media Masters. en.
7. Web site: BBC One explores African continent in major new commission for Bristol's Natural History Unit . BBC Press Office . 2010-04-29.