Dr. Wendy Darke

Founder | CEO | Executive Producer of True to Nature Ltd.
(Former Head of BBC Natural History Unit)

In June 2016, Wendy founded True To Nature Limited (TTN), a Bristol based independent production company specialising in innovative, premium natural history and specialist factual productions and has secured over 15 new commissions including the first SKY NATURE premium natural history series SHARK WITH STEVE BACKSHALL for release in 2021. In 2019 Sky Studio took a 25% shareholding in True To Nature Limited.

TTN commissions include a number of complex international co-productions including EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL 10 x 60’, for UKTV Dave and BBC, PBS, France 5 with Fremantle as WW Distributors, andEXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL – UNPACKED 4 x 60’ and EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL Series II: 6 x 60’ for delivery in 2021. Building on the success of GANGS OF LEMUR ISLAND 5 x 60’ (2019) for BAM/Love Nature, Smithsonian Network, Arte and premiering on Sky Nature in the UK, follows GANGS OF MACAQUE ISLAND 5 x 60’ for SKY NATURE and Sky Studio/NBCU (2021), LIVING VOLCANOES/PLANET OF VOLCANOES for ZDF and ARTE, PBS, WNET Thirteen premiering on Sky Nature in the UK (2020) and WW distribution by ZDFE. GARDEN TALES a 26 x 7’ series for CBeebies premiering in 2021 and in 2020 ONE ZOO THREE 5 x 15’ successfully delivered for CBBC along with DREAMFLIGHT Series I 20 x 5’ series for Sky Kids in 2020 which has just had a recommission for DREAMFLIGHT series II for 2021.

Prior to TTN, Wendy enjoyed a 25 year career at the BBC Natural History Unit (NHU), which culminated in her becoming the first female Head of the NHU from 2012 to 2016 where she was responsible for ground breaking award winning titles such as: BAFTA winning Big Blue Live, double BAFTA winning DEADLY 60 with STEVE BACKSHALL; Life Story (2014); Africa (2013), and multiple trilogies such as Wild Japan; Wild New Zealand, Wild Patagonia and the multi award winning Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II.

Before commencing her career in media in 1991, Wendy was awarded a PhD in Marine Science, from the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences & James Cook University, Australia (1991) and a BSc Joint Honours Geology and Zoology, University of Bristol (1986).

More recently (in 2016) she was awarded the honorary degrees of Doctor of Science from the University of Bristol and Doctor of Arts from the University of the West of England, and was awarded the Royal Geographic Society, Cherry Kearton Medal, an award for cinematography of the natural world in June 2016.

Wendy is passionate about, and an advocate of, the natural world and has, on many occasions, been a supporter of media initiatives to support sustainability and the environment – most recently interviewing Jeremy Darroch, Executive Chairman, Sky Group on the environment and what Broadcasters can do to become net zero carbon. This interview can be viewed here.