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Wildlife SOS (TV series)

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This article is about the TV show. For the organization, see Wildlife SOS.

Wildlife SOS
Created bySimon Cowell MBE
Stephen Fry
Developed byJason Giberti
Jim Incledon
Directed byJim Incledon
Presented bySimon Cowell MBE
Narrated bySimon Cowell MBE
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Production
Executive producersSimon Cowell
Ben Kelly
Mark Wild
Production locationsWildlife Aid,
Leatherhead, Surrey
Running time60 minutes
Production companiesFace Productions
Amatis Film &
Television Productions
Wild Productions
Original release
NetworkAnimal Planet
Channel 5
ITV London
ITV Meridian
Release1996 (1996) –
2014 (2014)

Wildlife SOS is a British TV show which was presented by conservationist Simon Cowell.[1][2] The show was created for Channel 5, and appeared on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel.[1] It is based in the UK's Wildlife Aid in Leatherhead, Surrey.

In 2014, the first made-for-web episodes of Wildlife SOS started to appear online, made by the Wildlife Aid Foundation. Throughout Wildlife SOS, in addition to 'special' episodes filmed at wildlife centres on the world, the main focus of the series has been on the work of staff and volunteers at the WAF wildlife centre in Surrey.

Wildlife SOS was produced by Wild Productions.[3] Five million people watched the show in 2009.[4] The show's final season aired from 7 April 2013 to 12 May 2013.[5] To produce 6.5 hours of the show that aired in 1999, the producers spent a full year and filmed for 200 hours.[6]

Wildlife Aid

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Main article: Wildlife Aid

In 1996, following a fire that destroyed one third of the hospital complex, Cowell found his organisation reliant on media attention for its continued survival. Cowell was approached by representatives of the newly formed Animal Planet channel to produce a television series chronicling the drama of life in the wildlife rescue facility. The show experienced long-term success; it has been cited as "the longest-running animal rescue TV series" and continues to broadcast on Animal Planet, and various other channels owned by Discovery Communications. The TV series originally had 30-minute episodes but in 2012, this changed to a 60-minute format. The newest (2014) series of Wildlife SOS comprises shorter episodes available on-line on The WildlifeAidTV channel on YouTube.

Wild Productions

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Wild Productions were the official makers of Wildlife SOS until 2013 when production was taken over directly by the Wildlife Aid Foundation itself. The writer, narrator and presenter of Wildlife SOS is Simon Cowell, who was also the chief executive of the Wildlife Aid Foundation.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Simon Cowell: Wildlife SOS presenter and conservationist dies aged 72". Sky News. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  2. ^ "All creatures great and small". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 28 May 1999. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Wildlife SOS films ACES for Discovery Channel's Animal Planet". The San Pedro Sun. 10 February 2012. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "International film crew pays Fraser Coast a visit". Fraser Coast Chronicle. 18 February 2009. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. ^ Foster, Alice (3 April 2013). "Leatherhead wildlife rescuer Simon Cowell 'distraught' after 18 year-long TV show axed". Your Local Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Media men who are pushing the centre into the public eye". Leatherhead Advertiser. 13 May 1999. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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