Cannes – Jana Bennett, President Worldwide Networks and Global BBC iPlayer, today confirmed the network’s commitment to stage global television events as she unveiled two new seasons for 2012 at MIPTV.  London Calling and Planet Earth Live will run simultaneously across the BBC channels around the world.

London Calling is a unique season of programmes that celebrate the music, fashion, art, culture and history of Britain’s capital city. The season will be led by LIVE coverage from the spectacular Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.  

Planet Earth Live is the biggest LIVE wildlife broadcast ever undertaken by the BBC. It is an ambitious project, which is the result of over ten years of innovation in techniques and formats at the BBC Natural History Unit. The programme brings real animals and their everyday dramas to a global audience in real time. Viewers will witness first-hand these incredible animals’ struggle for survival in this animal soap opera, where nature writes the script.

London Calling will air between June and August on BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC HD, UKTV and BBC World News (global). The season will also be available to users of BBC.com and to users of the global BBC iPlayer but will vary territory by territory. Airing on BBC ONE in the UK, Planet Earth Live will also air simultaneously to a global audience via BBC Knowledge, BBC Entertainment, BBC HD and in a selection of European countries on the global BBC iPlayer. The event excludes the US.