"DOWNTON ABBEY'S" DAN STEVENS TO NARRATE NEW TWO-HOUR "PLANET EARTH" SPECIAL ON BBC AMERICA PREMIERING SUNDAY, APRIL 22

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BBC AMERICA CELEBRATES EARTH DAY

First ever US broadcast of the original Planet Earth series and world premiere of new special, The Making of Planet Earth, narrated by Dan Stevens

BBC AMERICA announced today that Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens will narrate the new two-hour Planet Earth special, The Making of Planet Earth, premiering Sunday, April 22. The original Planet Earth series, which has captivated audiences around the world in over 130 countries, now makes its first ever US broadcast premiere on BBC AMERICA as part of a very special two-day celebration of Earth Day. The momentous event marks the first time that the landmark series will broadcast in the US in its entirety with its original narrator, world famous naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The Planet Earth marathon begins Saturday, April 21, 6:00am ET to Sunday, April 22, 9:00pm ET/PT. Following the marathon is the world premiere of The Making of Planet Earth, Sunday, April 22, 9:00pm ET/PT.

The Making of Planet Earth, produced by BBC Earth, is a new two-hour special narrated by Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley, Downton Abbey), featuring the extraordinary adventures of the award-winning team behind Planet Earth, detailing what these 21st Century explorers went through to film the original series. We hear from the filmmakers themselves as they share their experiences of how they defied the odds and magnificently captured the story of our planet. The Making of Planet Earth features exclusive interviews with the world's top wildlife filmmakers who made the Planet Earth series, including director and executive producer Alastair Fothergill, who has worked alongside Sir David Attenborough for over 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the world's top wildlife filmmakers. Producers Vanessa Berlowitz and Huw Cordey, and leading cinematographer Doug Allan. The Making of Planet Earth premieres Sunday, April 22, 9:00pm ET/PT.