- New iteration of iconic nature series Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom to air on NBC this fall
- Exclusive partnership with Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG) announced
- New version titled Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild
NBC is set to return to the Wild Kingdom by bringing back the renowned nature series Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. In collaboration with Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG), a new version of the show, titled Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, will air this fall.
The original Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, hosted by Marlin Perkins, first premiered on NBC in 1963 and was very successful, attracting an average of 34 million viewers and receiving five Emmy Award nominations, of which it won two for Special Classification Achievements.
The new show will be co-hosted by experienced wildlife expert Peter Gros, who is a former Wild Kingdom host, and wildlife ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant. The program aims to highlight the various efforts being taken to safeguard wildlife and their habitats.
Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild will premiere on Saturday, October 7th as part of NBC’s Saturday-morning “The More You Know” programming block. In addition, the show will also be available on NBC.com.
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom originally made its debut on NBC in 1963 before it went into syndication in 1971. A newer show titled Mutual of Omaha’s Spirit of Adventure, hosted by Gros and Jim Fowler, was launched in 1987 on ABC and lasted for two years. Later, a revival aired from 2002 to 2011, which concluded on Animal Planet, followed by another web-based version running on YouTube from 2013 to 2018.