British TV and nature icon Sir David Attenborough returns to our screens this week with the highly anticipated Planet Earth III.

The first Planet Earth documentary series was released by the BBC back in 2006 and was followed by Planet Earth II 10 years later in 2016. 

The popular nature documentary series is presented by Sir David and has brought viewers many memorable moments including the young marine iguana escaping the deadly onslaught of racer snakes on the Galapagos Islands (Planet Earth II: Islands).

Now, the BBC is releasing Planet Earth III, with the first episode - Coasts - set to air on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday (October 22). 

The series, which consists of eight episodes, was filmed over the course of nearly five years and uses pioneering filmmaking technology to reveal "the greatest wonders of life on earth".

How to watch Planet Earth III with David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough returns in Planet Earth III in the first episode - coasts - which airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday (October 22).

In the episode description, the BBC said: "Sir David Attenborough explores the dangerous frontiers created by the world's coasts, where animals fight for survival amidst constant change.

"Coasts are the front line in our changing world. Increasingly unpredictable storms and sea level rises are urgent threats to those that make their homes near the coast, including nearly 40% of the world’s human population."

The first episode will take viewers to locations including:

Robberg Peninsula, South Africa 

The Planet Earth III episode will focus on thousands of cape fur seals squeezed onto a small ledge on the Robberg Peninsula and viewers will watch as a yearling pup escapes into the water, "where the clumsy youngster becomes nimble and graceful".

The BBC description adds: "In recent years, this coast has been home to unprecedented numbers of great white sharks and the seal colony must band together if they’re to see off the world’s most notorious predator."

The Arctic Coast

This is the scene of the biggest seasonal transformation on earth, and the melting of billions of tonnes of ice brings short-lived opportunities to these coastal waters.

Animals arrive en masse, perhaps the strangest of which is the sea angel - "a voracious predator whose ambush wouldn’t be amiss in a sci-fi horror".

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

The Skelton Coast is where the world’s oldest desert meets the cold Atlantic.

In this episode of Planet Earth III viewers will meet some unexpected residents - hungry lions discovering this coast for the first time in 40 years and trying their luck in a huge seabird colony.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

The tropical coral reef is sheltered by forests.

Mangrove trees are salt-tolerant and rooted in the seabed, providing a unique opportunity for archer fish, which use jets of water like arrows to shoot down insects from high above.

Yucatan, Mexico

The shallow lagoons of Yucatan in Mexico are very exposed and the 'coasts' episode of Planet Earth III explores its hostile, hypersaline pools and the Caribbean flamingos that choose to nest there.

Raine Island, Australia

The Planet Earth III episode explores the tens of thousands of female green turtles who come ashore to nest. 

The BBC description adds: "The island is on borrowed time. This, the world’s largest green turtle rookery, is set to disappear beneath the waves."

Sir David also reveals how the island has changed over time since he was part of the first filming crew to visit it in 1957.

Planet Earth III: Coasts will also visit the Peninsula Valdes in Argentina and British Columbia.

Planet Earth III - full list of episodes

Planet Earth III will consist of eight episodes:

  • Episode 1 - Coasts
  • Episode 2 - Ocean
  • Episode 3 - Deserts and Grasslands
  • Episode 4 - Freshwater
  • Episode 5 - Forests
  • Episode 6 - Extremes
  • Episode 7 - Human
  • Episode 8 - Heroes

You can watch Planet Earth III on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, October 22 at 6.15pm.