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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Hannah Roberts

BBC acquires Tom Hanks-narrated documentary series about the Americas

Tom Hanks narrates The Americas (Doug Peters/PA) - (PA Archive)

The BBC has acquired a nature documentary series narrated by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks.

From Planet Earth II executive producer Mike Gunton, and with music by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, The Americas uses cutting-edge technology to highlight wildlife from across North and South America.

The 10-part series, which was five years in the making, spotlights locations including, Mexico, the Amazon rainforest, the Andes, the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean.

An American Bison (Donald M. Jones/NBC)

The docu-series was made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, for US television broadcasting company NBC, and will also air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The head of BBC Factual Acquisition, Jo Lapping, said: “The BBC is delighted to bring NBC’s remarkable nature epic The Americas to BBC One and iPlayer.

“From northern Canada to Patagonia, the spectacular beauty and diversity of the American continents has been captured in this mesmerising series from a multi-award winning dream team; Tom Hanks, Hans Zimmer, BBC Studios Natural History and Universal Television Alternative Studio.”

Hanks, 68, who won leading actor Oscars for his roles in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994), is also known for voicing character Woody in the Toy Story film series.

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