Wild Isles: Sir David Attenborough’s trip to Weymouth to film his latest BBC show
When a celebrity visits a small town like Weymouth, they are bound to turn heads. But no one, at least not in Britain, enjoys as much respect and reverence as Sir David Attenborough.
So when the legendary naturalist, environmentalist and documentary filmmaker came to town, it was no surprise that it caused some kind of buzz. Sir David’s visit to Weymouth on November 17th 2022 is to serve his latest show.
The Wild Isles show was announced this week and will be broadcast on BBC One on March 12. Sir David, still presented at the age of 96, will circumnavigate the British Isles to shed light on natural history here.
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As part of this filming, Sir David traveled to the west coast of Wales, the far north of Scotland and Weymouth.
The day of shooting was a pleasant surprise for the locals. A film crew was first seen at Custom House Quay in the early morning of November 17th.
Excitement mounted even further when Sir David himself was spotted diving in and out at local fishmonger Weyfish. At the time, DorsetLive reporter Bailey Smith saw Sir David and described: “He was coming and going very quickly because a crowd of about 10 to 15 people formed quite quickly when they saw him.
“Sir David was upstairs in the fish shop while they were clearing the shop for later shooting. Now they are filming on a boat.”
The naturalist walked in and out of a fishing boat and spoke to several crew members, although it’s not known what aspect of nature they were talking about – or if it will make the final cut.
The owner of Weyfish said the day after: “We were really looking forward to staging filming here in Weymouth – a focus on sustainable fishing and our local fishing community.
“As part of this, we were honored to have the entire crew dine at Catch at The Old Fish Market – and showcase the freshness and variety of seafood available right here on our doorstep, fished in the most sustainable ways.
“We are unable to share any further information at this point, but of course we will if we can. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and shared our passion for Weymouth, our fishing community and economy and our commitment to a more sustainable industry.”
The day was not without incident, however. A climate protester had to be “pulled” out of the restaurant during the meal because he repeatedly tried to speak to Sir David.
Scientist Emma Smart claimed at the time that she had intended to speak to Sir David but was removed by police. Officers removed Smart, and the 45-year-old was arrested and charged with failing to comply with a Section 35 order, which is essentially a statutory dispersal order.
Speaking without representation before Weymouth Magistrates’ Court in December, Smart said the evidence used against her was “fundamentally flawed”. A request by Smart to have Sir David as a witness at court was denied by District Judge Layton, who said it was “not necessary”.
The matter will be heard in Poole Magistrates Court later this month.
Aside from legal issues, the day of shooting caused a lot of excitement on location. Weymouth Community Safety Patrol Officers wrote on social media how they had the “treat” of meeting the 96-year-old while working their local beat.
Little is known about what will feature in the show from local filming, other than the fact that the series will begin at Old Harry Rocks near Swanage.
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