• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
BBC film crew broke their strict ‘no interference’ rule to save penguins in heartbreaking situation

Home> Entertainment> TV

Updated 17:57 29 Mar 2025 GMTPublished 17:33 29 Mar 2025 GMT

BBC film crew broke their strict ‘no interference’ rule to save penguins in heartbreaking situation

You can't really blame them, penguins are very cute

James Moorhouse

James Moorhouse

We've all been tempted to break the rules at work every now and then, but some members of a BBC film crew broke a major rule when saving the lives of a group of penguins.

When it comes to nature documentaries there's few who know better than Sir David Attenborough, and he's previously revealed that not everything is as it seems when it comes to some of the sounds you hear.

Perhaps the major rule when it comes to film crews working out in the wild is to not interfere, as then it wouldn't be an accurate representation of the animals' lives.

However, a film crew who were with Sir David in Antarctica recording for his series Dynasties decided to step in when they spotted a group of penguins in trouble.

Advert

The video footage shows the flightless birds stuck in a ravine with seemingly no way out, and heartbreakingly a few of the colony had already passed away.

The film crew decided to step in and dig the penguins a way out (BBC)
The film crew decided to step in and dig the penguins a way out (BBC)

Viewers were no doubt left on the edge of their seats, urging the film crew to help out, and thankfully they decided to forget about protocol and dug out some manmade steps to allow the penguins to escape.

Fortunately, they quickly took notice and decided to waddle their way out of the ravine to safety, with the crew's actions ensuring that much of the colony would survive, rather than being left to perish in the brutal arctic conditions.

Veteran wildlife cameraman Doug Allan applauded the Dynasties film crew's actions when speaking to The Guardian.

Advert

He said: "Interfering or not is a decision based on what you’re seeing at the time. To interfere on a predation event is definitely wrong but, in this situation, they didn’t spook the penguins. All they did was create an escape route for them.

"I certainly think, in that case, what they did was entirely justifiable and entirely understandable. I would have done the same thing in their situation."

(BBC)
(BBC)

Director Will Lawson who worked on the penguin footage spoke more about the decision during an interview with The One Show.

He said: "It was not a straightforward decision by any stretch of the imagination.

Advert

"You just have to look at the facts that are in front of you before you make a decision like that, and that's exactly what you did."

It wouldn't be the last time a BBC film crew would interfere, as they also stepped in when seeing some sea lions trapped in fishing nets on Planet Earth III.

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Topics: BBC, David Attenborough

James Moorhouse
James Moorhouse

James is a NCTJ Gold Standard journalist covering a wide range of topics and news stories for LADbible. After two years in football writing, James switched to covering news with Newsquest in Cumbria, before joining the LAD team in 2025. In his spare time, James is a long-suffering Rochdale fan and loves reading, running and music. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@JimmyMoorhouse

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • BBC viewers in tears at 'best moment in TV' as lad thanks the crew after difficult scene
  • Sir David Attenborough leaves viewers concerned as they spot 'change' in new show
  • David Attenborough film crew broke big rule after spotting problem filming sea lions
  • David Attenborough's 'most gruesome scene' shows heartbreaking reality of life

Choose your content:

16 mins ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • Getty/Savion Washington
    16 mins ago

    Demi Moore admits cheating on her husband the night before their wedding

    Most people are working on their vows at that point

    Entertainment
  • Warner Bros
    2 hours ago

    Child actor who played Charlie in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory never had another acting job and still gets paid for it

    Remember Charlie Bucket from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory? This is what he's been up to since the film came out

    Entertainment
  • Mike Marsland/WireImage
    3 hours ago

    Caroline Flack’s mother shares heartbreaking details in rare interview about her death

    The celebrity TV presenter died on 15 February 2020 aged 40

    Entertainment
  • Supplied: HBO
    11 hours ago

    There was “No Plan B” if Bill Skarsgård didn’t return as Pennywise in IT: Welcome to Derry

    Andy and Barbara Muschietti reveal new details about Pennywise’s origin story and Bill Skarsgård’s return.

    Entertainment