Twenty-five years after the original Blue Planet offered audiences an unprecedented look at life beneath the waves, the acclaimed natural history series returns with a third instalment. Blue Planet III, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, makes its Asia debut on 2 November at 8pm on BBC Earth and BBC Player.

The new six-part series arrives in a significant year for Attenborough, who celebrates his 100th birthday in 2026. It also marks another chapter in a television franchise that has helped shape public understanding of marine life and the challenges facing the world’s oceans.

The original Blue Planet, released in 2001, was the first natural history series to provide a comprehensive account of the world’s oceans. Its successor, Blue Planet II, followed in 2017, drawing attention to the impact of single-use plastics and bringing marine conservation into wider public discussion.

New discoveries beneath the waves

For its latest instalment, the production team spent more than four years filming across 37 countries, using advances in underwater filming technology to capture marine behaviours that were previously difficult or impossible to document.

Among the equipment deployed were splash drones, long-term remote underwater cameras and a specialised mini dome, allowing the filmmakers to observe marine environments from new perspectives.

The series travels through five major ocean habitats: Tropical Seas, Seasonal Seas, Polar Seas, High Seas and Deep Seas. Alongside encounters with marine wildlife, it examines emerging pressures on ocean ecosystems, while also highlighting stories of recovery and the possibilities for conservation.

The sixth and final episode shifts its focus towards the future of the seas, considering the measures needed to protect these environments.

A cinematic score for the ocean

The series also features an original score by double Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer and the Emmy and BAFTA-winning team at Bleeding Fingers Music.

Its extended trailer introduces Into The Deep (Seas Cry), an original song written by former Little Mix member Jade Thirlwall and Thom Lukas of Bleeding Fingers Music. The collaboration brings together Thirlwall’s contemporary pop sound with a cinematic musical arrangement inspired by the natural world.

Blue Planet III premieres in Asia on Monday, 2 November, at 8pm, with new episodes airing every Monday on BBC Earth and BBC Player. In Malaysia, BBC Earth is available on Unifi TV (Channel 501) and Astro (Channel 554).