BBC’s natural history format Springwatch is set to receive its first international remake, with Brutal Media, owned by BBC Studios, landing a commission for a local version from Basque public-service broadcaster EITB.
Bizi Natura: Udaberria is the first international version of the beloved BBC show that launched in 2005. It will showcase the Basque Country’s biodiversity and natural heritage via live broadcasts. It launches in May with a one-hour prime-time special, followed by 13 predominantly live episodes, and then concludes with a one-hour prime-time episode.
Sumi Connock, EVP for the creative network and formats at BBC Studios, noted, “It’s more than a format—it’s event television that has built a deep emotional connection with audiences year after year through its authenticity, expertise, and sense of shared experience. Working with EITB to bring Bizi Natura: Udaberria to life in the Basque Country is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate local wildlife in a way that feels both distinctive and true to the spirit of the original.”
Isabel Duran, head of entertainment at Brutal Media, added, “We’re very proud to be leading the first international adaptation of Springwatch and bringing this distinctive format to Spain with Bizi Natura: Udaberria. Brutal Media has had great success adapting BBC Studios’ unscripted formats for Spanish audiences, and this marks an exciting step into factual entertainment formats. The Basque Country offers a rich and diverse natural setting, and we look forward to creating a series that feels both authentic to the format and deeply rooted in the local environment.”
Isabel Octavio, director of EITB, added, “In the Basque Country, we live surrounded by remarkable biodiversity that is part of who we are, even if we are not always aware of it. Bizi Natura: Udaberria is an invitation to pause, to observe, and to rediscover this nearby nature with fresh eyes. We want to move people, but also to raise awareness so that audiences don’t just see nature, but feel it as their own—because only when we truly feel something belongs to us do we understand the importance of protecting it.”
