How to watch The Year Earth Changed

During an unprecedented year, scientists and film-makers have been able to record how wildlife has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in this programme narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

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Published: April 15, 2021 at 4:00 pm

How can I watch The Year Earth Changed?

The Year Earth Changed was added to Apple TV on Friday 16 April 2021.

Filming a leopard during the pandemic. © Apple TV
Filming a leopard during the pandemic. © Apple TV

Watch the trailer for The Year Earth Changed:

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What is The Year Earth Changed about?

“March 2020: a deadly virus sweeps around the world. Overnight, our lives are put on pause. But as we stop, remarkable things start to change in the natural world.”

So begins David Attenborough's narration of this new Apple TV documentary, a reminder of the unprecedented times we find ourselves in. Around the world, nature has responded to the pandemic in different ways, and at the same time, humans have connected with nature.

Penguins in the empty streets of Cape Town. © Apple TV
Penguins in the empty streets of Cape Town. © Apple TV

The documentary was recorded across five continents, and features a wide range of species and interviews with a variety of scientists.

Positive stories include how a reduction in cruise ship traffic resulted in whales communicating with each other in a way we've not recorded before, increases in turtle hatchling numbers as beaches in popular tourist spots are deserted, penguins roaming the streets of Cape Town, and how in the first lockdown, we all suddenly noticed birdsong filling the air.

A turtle hatchling on the beach. © Apple TV
A turtle hatchling on the beach. © Apple TV

Who is the narrator of The Year Earth Changed?

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Sir David Attenborough attend the naming ceremony for The RSS Sir David Attenborough in 2019. © Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with Sir David Attenborough attend the naming ceremony for The RSS Sir David Attenborough in 2019. © Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty

The Year Earth Changed is narrated by Sir David Attenborough, who has presented and narrated numerous natural history programmes, including the Life series, Our Planet, A Perfect Planet, Attenborough's Life in Colour and David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.

Main image: Macaque with a hand sanitiser pump. © Apple TV

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