Chris Packham's Naturewatch Video Podcast Starts November 6

Captain Ron -

At a glance

  • Who: Chris Packham, Kyle Thomas and Megan McCubbin, produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit
  • What: A weekly video podcast about British wildlife
  • When: Friday, November 6. On BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds from 6am, then on BBC Two at 7.30pm
  • Catch: Every TV episode is followed by an audio-only Q&A that's exclusive to BBC Sounds

A video podcast with a primetime TV slot. That's the BBC for you.

Naturewatch is a new weekly show with Chris Packham, Kyle Thomas and Megan McCubbin (three people who clearly love nerding out about wildlife), and it's launching on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds all at once. While US streamers are licensing podcasts from outside companies, the BBC is just making its own and putting it everywhere. Fun to see, so let's dig in.

Chris Packham, Kyle Thomas and Megan McCubbin, hosts of Naturewatch

What the BBC Announced

Naturewatch is a weekly celebration of British wildlife, produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit. The three hosts broadcast from a studio pod in the countryside near Bristol, surrounded by the nature they're talking about.

It premieres Friday, November 6. The full episode lands on iPlayer and BBC Sounds at 6am, and airs on BBC Two at 7.30pm. After each TV episode, there's a separate audio-only Naturewatch Q&A, exclusive to BBC Sounds.

What to Expect

Think curious questions with expert answers. The BBC says guests will weigh in on things like why birds eat rocks, why squirrels always land on their feet, why geese fly in formation, and what happens when rutting season starts.

The show will also follow the stories making waves in nature, dig into the science behind the headlines, and take questions and wildlife photos from viewers at Naturewatch@bbc.co.uk.

Where This Fits

The BBC has been leaning into video podcasts this year. In March, it announced an expansion of video podcasts across iPlayer, Sounds and YouTube, with new video versions of brands like Sort Your Life Out and Race Across the World, according to Podcasting Today. The BBC cited an audience survey finding that three in five podcast fans had watched a podcast in the past week.

Naturewatch was first reported in June. Discover Wildlife said at the time that a new wildlife video podcast was expected this autumn, with no date or presenters confirmed. Now it has both.

One thing to flag if you're outside the UK: BBC Sounds became UK-only for international users in 2025, per Podcasting Today, and international audiences are pointed to BBC.com and the BBC app for podcasts. I've asked the BBC whether Naturewatch will be available outside the UK, and I'll update this post when I hear back.

Who Is Behind It

  • Chris Packham: presenter
  • Kyle Thomas: presenter
  • Megan McCubbin: presenter
  • BBC Studios Natural History Unit: producer. Sreya Biswas is executive producer and Laura Whitley is series producer
  • Commissioning: Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, with BBC Sounds' Louise Kattenhorn as commissioning executive

What They're Saying

Packham promised "guaranteed nerdiness" and a lively, conversational spirit. Thomas said he hopes the show inspires a new generation to fall in love with the natural world. And McCubbin said a weekly UK wildlife show matters because so much happens under our noses that goes unnoticed.

Bootle said the show is about helping audiences "connect with British nature every single week of the year."

Final Thoughts

I like how un-precious this is. It's a podcast, a TV show and a Q&A at the same time, and the BBC isn't pretending those are separate things. I'll be watching how the audio-only Q&A does against the video, since that's where we'll see which way people actually want to take it in.

And it connects to what's happening in the US. Disney+ and Hulu just announced deals with iHeartMedia and PAVE Studios, two separate companies. Different approaches, same direction: video podcasts are going where the TV viewers are.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is the main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd. It makes brands including Strictly Come Dancing, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who, per the company.

Sources

  • BBC Studios press release, October 2026
  • Discover Wildlife, "BBC launches new wildlife video podcast as part of the Watches expansion" (Jun 30, 2026): https://www.discoverwildlife.com/tv/bbc-naturewatch-video-podcast
  • Podcasting Today, "BBC expands video podcast slate across iPlayer, Sounds and YouTube" (Mar 12, 2026): https://podcastingtoday.co.uk/?p=41084
  • Podcasting Today, "BBC podcasts new way to be heard outside UK as BBC Sounds goes UK only" (Feb 25, 2025): https://podcastingtoday.co.uk/bbc-podcasts-new-way-to-be-heard-outside-uk-as-bbc-sounds-goes-uk-only/
  • PAVE Studios press release, October 15, 2026
  • iHeartMedia and Big Money Players Network press release, October 15, 2026