'Whale with Steve Backshall' Sky

Following on from the success of Sky Nature’s Shark with Steve Backshall, Steve sets out to reveal that whales are ‘mightier than myth’. In this brand-new series, Steve takes us deeper and closer to the most iconic, mysterious and threatened whales and their dolphin cousins.

As a naturalist, conservationist and Sky Ocean Hero Ambassador, Steve will free dive alongside whales in the world’s greatest oceans. We’ll meet mighty sperm whales, caring humpback whales, intelligent killer whales and ingenious bottlenosed dolphins, exploring their complex social relationships, revealing their surprising hunting techniques, and discovering that just like us, many whales have close family units. Teaming up with world-leading scientists and conservationists, Steve will uncover the secret lives of whales and dolphins, and confront the uncomfortable and urgent truths of overfishing and pollution. Joining whale advocates across the globe, he will discover why whales are essential for the health of our oceans, what we can do to ensure their survival, and reveal the most remarkable conservation story of all.

'Patrick and the Whale' First Encounter

While swimming near the Caribbean island of Dominica in 2019, Patrick Dykstra has a momentous meeting with a sperm whale - the following clip was filmed by Mark as part of the ‘Chasing Ocean Giants’ series however, this chance encounter became the inspiration and foundation of a feature documentary called 'Patrick and the Whale'.

Following this encounter Patrick was encouraged to gain further insights into the mysteries of whales; how they interact, sing to each other, form bonds, and express emotion. His quest to connect with and understand the hidden nature of the sperm whale is explored in ‘Patrick and the Whale’ a PBS film produced by Terra Mater Studios which shines a light on their intelligence and complexity, as well as highlighting their current and past relationship with humankind.

Sadly Mark was unavailable for the follow up trip to Dominica but has an incredible memory capturing the Patrick’s first meeting with ‘Dolores’.

'Deadly Mission Shark' CBBC

Deadly Mission Shark is the toughest challenge yet, to protect the future of sharks who are facing extinction. Steve Backshall and a team of kids from the UK and Bahamas step in to inspire and change the world. But will the kids complete their mission and learn to dive with sharks?

Watch here

'Evolution Earth' PBS, Sky Nature & NOW

Traveling to the far corners of the world, we discover the extraordinary ways animals are adapting to our rapidly changing planet. We witness nature’s remarkable resilience, as our perception of evolution and its potential is forever transformed. A series revealing how the animals around us are adapting to our changing planet and evolving before our eyes. Narrated by Shane Campbell-Staton

On the Galápagos Islands, Greg Lewbart and his team are trying to catch a marine iguana. Their goal is to study the iguana’s unusual adaptation. They have evolved the ability to shrink and regrow their vertebrae in response to changes in food availability. These conditions arises when the Pacific Ocean that is home to the algae they feed on warms, a result of the weather system known as El Niño.

S1: E1: Earth
S1: E2: Islands
S1: E3: Heat
S1: E4: Ice
S1: E5: Grasslands

Now available in the UK on Sky Nature and NOW TV.

'Epic Adventures with Bertie Gregory' Disney+

I had the pleasure of joining Bertie and the Epic Adventures (series one) team in October 2020 to film around the island of Cocos, 550km off the coast of Costa Rica. It was my first shoot back after six months of lost work due to the Covid lockdowns that year and this was the first shoot in Cocos in a run of three I did there within 12 months. We stayed on the M/V Sharkwater, which is operated by Fins Attached NGO. We had some great encounters with Galapagos, scalloped hammerhead and tiger sharks, as well as huge schools of jacks and a general abundance of aquatic life as a result of Cocos being a protected area, although the threat of illegal fishing seems like an ongoing nearby threat.
— Underwater Cameraman Mark Sharman

Part wildlife and part adventure show, follow the escapades of young National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory as he travels the world capturing extraordinary footage of wild animals. Using a combination of technical wizardry, secret fieldcraft and extreme perseverance, he and his team try to overcome the challenges and dangers and get as close as possible to wildlife on its own terms.