Animal Park Christmas Special

Original version

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

Animal Park

Factual: Pets & Animals

Kate Humble and Ben Fogle go behind the scenes at Longleat Safari Park.

Cute critters and caring keepers. Kate Humble and Ben Fogle explore Longleat Safari Park, meeting a host of exotic, fascinating animals and the people who look after them.

Christmas 2022

BBC One Channel Islands

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

BBC One West Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West HD

BBC One West Midlands HD

BBC One South HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One South West

BBC One East HD

BBC One North West HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One North West

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One London

London

BBC One South East HD

BBC One Yorkshire HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Channel Islands HD

BBC One West HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

BBC One Nightlight

Kate Humble

Ben Fogle

Hamza Yassin

Megan McCubbin

Alastair Bazeley-Bell

Joff Wilson

Remarkable TV

Animal Park: Christmas 2022: Episode 4

Episode 4

BBC One - Animal Park, Christmas 2022, Episode 4

Can the hyena find their festive feast, and is romance brewing in the cheetah enclosure?

Megan and the keepers hide lumps of meat on a Christmas tree to create a puzzle for the cheetahs, and can Hamza spot signs of a festive romance in the cheetah enclosure?

It’s time to deck the halls because Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are heading back to Longleat Safari Park for a magical week of programmes. 

It wouldn’t be Christmas without mistletoe and a hint of romance, and that’s exactly what the keepers are hoping for at the cheetah enclosure. Rachael is the stunning female looking for a mate, and she has two boys to choose from, brothers Mo and Bolt. A litter of cheetah cubs would make everyone’s Christmases come at once because they are classed as vulnerable in the wild. However, Rachael doesn’t appear to be particularly interested in either of the boys, so cameraman Hamza Yassin trains his lens on them to find out why.

Deciding what to eat on the big day is always a big decision, and the estate has records of what’s been on the winter menu as far back as 1603, with prunes, raisins and peppercorns all on the list. Ben discovers that by the 19th century, things were getting a bit more extensive, with a turkey dinner for lunch and then a seven-course meal in the evening!

Rather than serving Christmas dinner on a plate, for the hyenas Megan McCubbin has a different approach entirely. She and the keepers are adding lumps of meat to a Christmas tree in order to create a brilliant enrichment puzzle for them. The moment the keepers release Akuma and Nkuru, they begin to hunt as a team, finding the treats buried in the tree. But as their senses are heightened, how long with it be before these great African scavengers destroy the festive display?

Animal Park: Christmas 2022

BBC One

A series of Christmas specials from Longleat Safari Park.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Animal Park

Christmas 2022

Episode 4

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC One South East

About BBC One