A giant billboard promoting Sir David Attenborough’s awe-inspiring earth science series, A Perfect Planet, was spectacularly highjacked in central Manchester this evening.
BBC Creative, the team behind the dramatic stunt, appeared to temporarily set fire to the poster of a monkey in its natural habitat, revealing the devasting image of a destructive forest fire.
The striking scene lasted 30 minutes and used environmentally-friendly vapour for the impressive smoke effect, which will not be used again whilst the billboard remains in situ.
The final episode of the Natural History documentary is on BBC One at 8pm tonight and all five episodes are now available on BBC iPlayer.
The first four episodes explored the power of volcanoes, sunlight, weather and oceans. The fifth and final episode invites viewers to look at the impact of the world’s newest force of nature, humans, and what can be done to restore the planet’s perfect balance.
The special billboard also highlights the BBC’s Our Planet Now campaign, its ongoing focus on the environment and the challenges facing the planet. The broadcaster recently announced its target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Helen Rhodes, ECD BBC Creative, said: “A Perfect Planet explains how our living planet operates, but also sends a stark warning of the damage we are doing and the consequences we face if we don’t act now. Our campaign is designed to support that sentiment, using the shock tactic of defacing our own poster to communicate the urgency of the crisis we face.”
