Show Notes
For most people, the thought of watching a magnificent wild animal being eaten alive right in front of them would be the stuff of nightmares, but it’s all in a day’s work for our guest, the celebrated Scottish wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan.
Fresh from filming the latest series of the BBC’s Big Cats 24/7, Gordon discusses what it’s actually like to sit in a safari vehicle for endless hours in the scorching sun, waiting for something to happen. He looks back at his childhood on a council estate outside of Glasgow, and reflects on the difficulties of maintaining a work/life balance while filming away from home for months at a time.
Gordon’s live tour show, Lions and Tigers and Bears, covers 30 dates in England and Scotland from January through March 2026. Get your tickets at gordon-buchanan.co.uk
The new series of Big Cats 24/7 will be on BBC Two in February 2026. In the meantime, many of Gordon’s films are available to watch online – search under his name on the BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Apple TV, National Geographic, or whichever services you use.
Photo: Gordon Buchanan
And to get more great content from BBC Wildlife, visit our website: https://www.discoverwildlife.com
BBC Wildlife is the world’s longest-running and most popular nature magazine. This episode was hosted by Paul McGuinness and produced by Lewis Dobbs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from Wild Lives
One of Britain’s most-loved writers, Simon Barnes has been obsessed by flight for as long as he can remember.
Dr Rosa Vásquez Espinoza’s work with stingless bees in the Peruvian Amazon led to them becoming the first insect anywhere in the world to be protected by legal rights.
Wild Lives, the podcast from the team at BBC Wildlife Magazine is back for Season 2! Hosted by BBC Wildlife editor Paul McGuinness, Wild Lives returns with more incredible stories from the people who work and live on the frontlines of the natural world.
Wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin became a household name in the UK when he won Strictly Come Dancing in 2022.
What emotions have you felt when you’re in the natural world? We hear a lot about how nature calms us, gives us joy and hope, but what about other feelings, such as grief, anger or shame?