The Living World

The Living World
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Home stationBBC Radio 4
Hosted by
  • Trai Anfield
  • Chris Sperring
Produced byAndrew Dawes
Websitewww.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qyz3

The Living World is a long-running natural history radio programme, made by the BBC and broadcast on its Radio 4.[1] The series was created at the BBC Natural History Unit by Dilys Breese and Derek Jones, initially as a 52-week series, in 1968.[2] It chiefly covers topics related to the flora and fauna of the British Isles, with occasional forays further afield, such as a 1997 episode on the wildlife of the Rock of Gibraltar.[3]

For many years until 2009 the lead presenter was Lionel Kelleway. Current presenters are Trai Anfield and Chris Sperring. Other presenters include Miranda Krestovnikoff,[4] Paul Evans[1] Brett Westwood.[1] and Joanna Pinnock[1]

As of August 2010 the producer is Andrew Dawes.

In July 1968, two possible theme tunes for the programme were composed and recorded by Delia Derbyshire,[5] but these were rejected and a piece of jazz music used instead.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d "The Living World". BBC Online. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  2. ^ Paine, Barry (17 October 2007). "Obituary: Dilys Breese". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  3. ^ "The Living World". Radio Listings. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  4. ^ Quirke, Antonia (5 March 2012). "The Living World (BBC Radio 4)". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  5. ^ BBC's Sound Archive, tape number TRW 6886
  6. ^ Hand-written note by Derbyshire in BBC archives