[Saph]

Sir David Attenborough has been confirmed as the presenter of Blue Planet II, which will air on BBC One later this year.

The renowned nature-man will enthral viewers with his special brand of excellence by presenting the seven part series, offering us a fascinating further glimpse into the world's oceans.

"I am truly thrilled to be joining this new exploration of the underwater worlds which cover most of our planet, yet are still its least known," he said.



Blue Planet II is the long-awaited sequel to the BBC's multi-award winning series The Blue Planet, which first aired in 2001.

As with all the series that have enraptured viewers, the footage will be gathered by a team of wildlife film-makers from the BBC's Natural History Unit – and beautifully narrated by Sir David Attenborough, as they offer a never-before-seen glance into the breadth and scale of the world's oceans.

"The oceans are the most exciting place to be right now, because new scientific discoveries have given us a new perspective of life beneath the waves," said executive producer James Honeyborne.

"Blue Planet II is taking its cue from these breakthroughs, unveiling unbelievable new places, extraordinary new behaviours and remarkable new creatures.

"Showing a contemporary portrait of marine life, it will provide a timely reminder that this is a critical moment for the health of the world's oceans."