Alastair Fothergill studied zoology at the University of Durham and made his first film, on the Okavango, while still a student. Alastair joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1983, working on The Really Wild Show, Wildlife on One and the series The Trials of Life. He was appointed head of the unit in 1992, and during his tenure he produced the award-winning series Life in the Freezer. In June 1998 he stood down to concentrate on his role as series producer of the hugely successful The Blue Planet. He has also presented several television programmes, including The Abyss, and is the author of three books.