Blue Planet III is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in autumn 2026, promising to reveal extraordinary underwater wildlife stories using a new generation of filming technology.
The landmark natural history series follows the original The Blue Planet, which was broadcast around the world 25 years ago, and 2017's Blue Planet II.
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The second series helped galvanise a global movement to tackle single-use plastic in the oceans and transformed audiences' understanding of marine life.
Now, Blue Planet III will build on that legacy by exploring previously untold stories from beneath the waves, including remarkable animal behaviours that were once impossible to capture on camera.
When is Blue Planet III on TV and BBC iPlayer?
Blue Planet III is due to arrive on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in autumn 2026.
The new series will continue the BBC's exploration of the world's oceans, combining a deeper understanding of marine environments with advances in underwater filming technology.
The programme will use innovations including splash drones, long-term remote underwater cameras and a device known as a 'mini dome' to capture wildlife and behaviour that viewers may never have seen before.
What will Blue Planet III explore?
Blue Planet III will explore five key underwater habitats: Tropical Seas, Open Ocean, Seasonal Seas, Polar Waters and The Deep.
The series will reveal new stories from these environments, showcasing extraordinary animal behaviours and discoveries made possible by advances in camera technology.
While Blue Planet II highlighted the threats facing the world's oceans, the new series will also explore how marine life adapts and survives in a changing world.
Stories of resilience, hope and recovery will feature alongside the programme's exploration of ocean life.
The sixth and final episode, titled Future Seas, will look ahead at the future of the oceans and explore what needs to be done to protect them.
Will Sir David Attenborough return for Blue Planet III?
Sir David Attenborough is highlighted as part of the new series' return, with Blue Planet III continuing the legacy of one of television's most influential natural history brands.
The original The Blue Planet offered a comprehensive overview of the world's oceans when it was first broadcast 25 years ago.
Blue Planet II followed in 2017 and helped change public perceptions of ocean pollution, particularly the impact of single-use plastic.
The third instalment will build on those foundations, combining new scientific understanding with filming techniques designed to reveal previously unseen underwater worlds.
Who is singing the Blue Planet III theme song?
BRIT Award-winning and Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter JADE has teamed up with multiple Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer on a new original song for Blue Planet III.
Titled Into The Deep (Seas Cry), the track has been created exclusively for the launch of the series.
The song was written by JADE, Zimmer and Thom Lukas of the Emmy and BAFTA-winning Bleeding Fingers Music team.
The collaboration marks the musical launch of the latest instalment of a television franchise that has captivated audiences around the world and transformed understanding of life beneath the waves.
Blue Planet III is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in autumn 2026.
