BBC Studios is looking for a new head of its Natural History Unit (NHU), the production team behind some of the most-watched wildlife documentaries on the planet. The current head, Jonny Keeling, will move into a newly created Creative Director role once a successor is found, with the transition set to take place in 2027. Deadline

Keeling has run the NHU since 2021. Under his leadership, the unit produced Frozen Planet II, Planet Earth III, Asia, Mammals, Kingdom, Dynasties II, and The Americas with Tom Hanks. He will stay in the top job until the handover, meaning the recruitment process starts now but the change is still more than six months away. Deadline

In his Creative Director post, Keeling will work alongside veteran NHU Creative Director Mike Gunton. He will also remain part of the unit's senior leadership team, which includes Sreya Biswas (Director of Programmes), Juli Porter (Director of Commercial and Operations), and Maria Norman (Head of Production). Deadline

Kate Ward, BBC Studios' Managing Director of Unscripted, Global Content, said the new role will see Keeling return to full-time programme making. Keeling himself described the shift as a chance to focus on mentoring the next generation of filmmakers, winning new commissions, and delivering wildlife stories to global audiences. Deadline

The NHU's upcoming slate gives a sense of what the next head will inherit. Blue Planet III, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, is in the pipeline, along with Hidden Planet, Green Planet II, and Lion. BBC Media Centre; Deadline

The unit has also been expanding its reach. In June 2026, the BBC announced Naturewatch (w/t), a new video podcast from the NHU. Earlier in the year, BBC Studios took over London's Piccadilly Lights in tribute to Attenborough's 100th birthday. BBC Media Centre; BBC Media Centre

For viewers, the practical upshot is continuity rather than disruption. Keeling is not leaving. He is stepping sideways into a role built around the creative work — developing shows, guiding filmmakers, and chasing commissions — while someone else takes on the operational leadership of the unit. The slate of wildlife titles already in production will keep moving, and the search for a new head begins now.