Mike Gunton

After gaining a first class degree in zoology and a doctorate at Bristol and Cambridge Universities, Mike joined the BBC in 1983 to work on Open University Science and Children’s programming

In 1987 he joined the Natural History Unit to work on David Attenborough’s Trials of Life and, four years later, joined Peter Jones to set up an independent television company - Green Umbrella, where he worked as a director on the Natural World strand as well as two PBS series - The Search for our Ancestors and The Natural History of the Senses.

In 1994 Mike rejoined the BBC NHU as Series Producer establishing the unit’s ‘People and Animals’ output including Natural Neighbours, Animal People, Back to the Wild, Violent Planet and Tales from the Riverbank.

Mike has been Executive Producer on a number of one-off specials, from celebrity safaris to environmental investigations, as well as a number of films with David Attenborough, including Life on Air and Lost Gods of Easter Island and series ranging from Steve Leonard’s Ultimate Killers to Nile and Galápagos.

Mike was Series Editor of the Natural World from 2001-2004 overseeing around 60 films. He was also the Executive Producer on David Attenborough’s Life in the Undergrowth and most recently Yellowstone.

Martha Holmes

Martha Holmes began her television career underwater wearing a bubble helmet in the BBC’s Natural History Unit’s Reefwatch and Sea Trek series. She then spent a few cold years working on the BAFTA-winning Life in the Freezer and Wildlife Special: Polar Bear. She also produced numerous films for Wildlife on One strand including films on hippos, snakes, otters and coral reefs. With a return to the water, she was one of the producers on the celebrated Blue Planet series, and presented the environmental show which accompanied the series. More recently Martha produced Nile and the factual dramas of the Manhunters series. Currently Martha is series producing the NHU’s 10-part landmark series, Life. Martha has a PhD in zoology.