“Kingdom,” the pioneering new BBC series fronted by Sir David Attenborough, is one of the most hotly anticipated nature releases of 2025, and Live Science is here with all the TV and streaming details.
How to watch “Kingdom” — Quick Guide
► UK: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (From November 9, 2025)
► US: AMC+ (January 2026)
► Anywhere: Unblock your usual streaming service with NordVPN’s Black Friday deal
In a lush corner of the park, known as Nsefu, the filmmakers followed a lion pride, a wild dog pack, a hyena clan and a leopard family, showcasing the groups’ behaviors and social dynamics.
Narrated by 99-year-old Sir David Attenborough, who has fronted the BBC’s natural history output for decades, “Kingdom” premieres on U.K. screens on Nov. 9. The U.S. release will come in January 2026.
How to watch “Kingdom” in the U.K.
In the U.K., episodes will air live on TV on BBC One and online on BBC iPlayer, where episodes will also be available to watch on-demand once premiered.
“Kingdom” has a primetime Sunday evening slot, with the first episode airing at 6:20 p.m. GMT on Nov. 9, with new episodes coming at the same time on the following five Sundays.
BBC iPlayer is free to use with a registration as long as your TV licence is up to date.
Can I watch “Kingdom” in the U.S.?
Attenborough fans in the U.S. will have to wait until next year to watch “Kingdom,” which has a release date of Jan. 24, 2026 on BBC America and AMC+.
Watch “Kingdom” from anywhere
If you’re U.K.-based but traveling overseas you can watch Attenborough’s “Kingdom” from anywhere, thanks to a VPN.
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a piece of internet security software that can alter your device’s digital location, unlocking the geo-restrictions on most streaming platforms.
Our expert colleagues at TechRadar rate NordVPN as the best VPN. Not only is it great for unblocking streaming services, it has top-level security features, a reasonable price tag and, right now, a big discount.
“Kingdom”: Trailer
Kingdom | Trailer – BBC – YouTube
What to expect from “Kingdom”: Synopsis
“Kingdom’s” five-year scope is “a first in natural history programming,” the BBC said in a statement, with a team of 170 people — including more than 90 Zambian crew and wildlife experts — spending around 1,400 days in Nsefu and filming 76 shoots.
“We filmed over five years, which is the longest we have ever continuously filmed in one location, and that in itself is quite an achievement. There are of course risks to putting all your eggs in one basket by focusing solely on one location, but it has absolutely paid off with ‘Kingdom,'” executive producer Mike Gunton said in a promotional interview with the BBC.
“Having spent so much time observing these animals and filming them, we’re seeing amazing bits of animal behaviour that people have never seen on television before, like wild dogs working together to force hyenas off a kill.”
As well as the wild dogs and the hyenas, “Kingdom” follows a pride of lions and a family of leopards, examining how the groups interact as they fight to survive and thrive.
“If I had to pick one word to describe ‘Kingdom’ it would be ‘intensity.’ It’s almost Shakespearean in its feel, and it’s incredibly ambitious in its scale,” Gunton said.
“It’s a story that speaks across the ages because it focuses on four families in one location all struggling to survive. They’ve got their internal struggles, but they’ve also got struggles against the other rival families. And this creates a really intriguing tapestry of rich stories,” he added.
“It’s high drama — it’s got a bit of ‘Game of Thrones,’ it’s got a bit of ‘Succession,’ but it’s also got a bit of ‘The Lion King.’ But ‘Kingdom’ also has this wonderful warmth about it. It can be quite a white-knuckle ride at times, but there are also some wonderful moments of beauty and tenderness,” Gunton said.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.