A Perfect Planet

A giant billboard promoting Sir David Attenborough’s awe-inspiring earth science series, A Perfect Planet, was spectacularly highjacked in central Manchester last night.

BBC Creative, the team behind the dramatic stunt, appeared to set fire to the poster of a monkey in its natural habitat, revealing the devastating image of a destructive forest fire.

The striking scene, which used environmentally-friendly vapour smoke, coincided with the final episode of the nature documentary on BBC One, with all five episodes available on BBC iPlayer.

The first four episodes explored the power of volcanoes, sunlight, weather and oceans. The fifth and final episode invited viewers to look at the impact of the world’s newest force of nature, humans, and what can be done to restore the planet’s perfect balance.

Helen Rhodes, ECD BBC Creative, said: “A Perfect Planet explains how our living planet operates, but also sends a stark warning of the damage we are doing and the consequences we face if we don’t act now. Our campaign is designed to support that sentiment, using the shock tactic of defacing our own poster to communicate the urgency of the crisis we face.”