Kingdom (2025 TV series)

Kingdom is a 2025 British nature documentary series produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit and narrated by David Attenborough. The six-part series focuses on four rival animal families—lions, leopards, wild dogs, and hyenas—living in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.^[1] Filmed over five years in a single location, the series documents the power struggles, survival, and intertwined fates of these predators.^[1][2] Executive producer Mike Gunton described the show's intensity as "Shakespearean" and "high drama", comparing the power dynamics between the families to television dramas such as Game of Thrones and Succession.^[1]

The series premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 9 November 2025.^[3]

The series was commissioned by Jack Bootle and produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit in co-production with BBC America.^[1] The executive producer is Mike Gunton, with Felicity Lanchester serving as the series producer and Simon Blakeney as series editor.^[2]

Kingdom was filmed over a continuous five-year period in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park, covering an area of 226 square kilometres (87 sq mi).^[1] This marked the longest duration the Natural History Unit has ever spent filming in a single location, comprising approximately 1,400 days in the field across 76 shoots.^[1] The production involved a team of over 170 people, including more than 90 local Zambian crew members and wildlife experts.^[1] The team's base camp was powered entirely by solar energy.^[1]

To capture the footage, the crew utilized a mix of long-lens camera systems, camera traps, drones, thermal imaging cameras, and vehicle-mounted GSS (Gyro-stabilized systems).^[1] There was also direct collaboration with the Zambian Carnivore Programme, particularly for monitoring the area's hyena clan, whose habits were previously little known.^[1]

Kingdom was filmed over a period of five years in a single location in Zambia, marking the longest time the Natural History Unit has ever shot in one place.^[2] The production team utilized techniques typically associated with television dramas to create an immersive experience. This included the use of moving cameras and small, quiet drones described as "flying cinematographers" to capture intimate footage without disturbing the animals.^[2]

The production faced several challenges during the shoot, including interactions with local wildlife at the solar-powered base camp, such as elephants damaging facilities and snakes invading tents.^[2]

The series follows specific individuals identified by the crew and local scientists:

• Leopards (Olimba and Mutima): The narrative focuses on Olimba, a female leopard who is one of the most successful mothers recorded in the area, having raised three cubs to independence from different litters. Her daughter, Mutima, is identified by a distinct heart-shaped birthmark; her name means "Heart" in Nyanja.^[1]
• Wild Dogs (Storm's Pack): The pack is led by the alpha female, Storm. The production team tracked a lineage of 34 different dogs throughout the filming period. Storm's father was noted as the longest-ruling alpha and longest-living dog recorded in the region, dying at over 12 years old and leaving more than 208 direct descendants.^[1]
• Lions (Rita's Pride): The crew used unique whisker spot patterns to identify over 20 individual lions. During filming, the pride grew to include eight cubs, the largest size recorded for this family.^[1]
• Hyenas (Tenta's Clan): The series follows the matriarch Tenta and her daughter Tandala, a first-time mother. The show highlights the complex social structure of the matriarchal clan.^[1]

The series has been noted for its "gold standard" of filming and its narrative approach that mirrors high-end drama, including the use of cliffhangers at the end of episodes.^[2]

• Kingdom at BBC Online
• Kingdom at BBC Earth
• Kingdom at IMDb