Dr Chadden Hunter (Australia)

Chadden Hunter is a producer and director who has worked on some of the best-known natural history series including Frozen Planet, Planet Earth, and Seven Worlds, One Planet. He has dodged armed bandits and survived brain-parasites and filmed everything from indigenous tribes in Africa to snow leopards in Pakistan.

Growing up in Queensland Australia, Chadden studied conservation and marine biology on the Great Barrier Reef. He completed a PhD on gelada baboons in Ethiopia before working in film-making for National Geographic, PBS, and the Discovery Channel in the US.

Starting a long association with David Attenborough and the BBC, Chadden worked on The Life of Mammals before joining the teams on Planet Earth (where he became known as 'the guy covered in bat poop') and Natural World. He took on producer and director duties on Frozen Planet, during which, whilst filming arctic wolves, he learned -40C was cold enough to freeze his eyes shut. He then went on to work on Wild Arabia and Planet Earth II.

Chadden has also spent a large part of his life diving in oceans around the world as a Divemaster and with underwater film crews. He has worked alongside marine conservationists tackling plastics in the seas everywhere from South East Asia and the Caribbean to underneath the Antarctic ice cap.

With insights, engaging and often amusing stories, and stunning images and never-before-seen footage, Chadden looks at lessons in creative thinking, problem-solving, risk and working in a team as well as exploring the power, adaptability and fragility of the natural world. He explains the huge logistical and creative challenges that producing these spectacular series involve. He also reveals how incredible shots are captured (often a combination of cutting edge technology, calculated risk, careful planning and a lot of both patience and luck) and what goes on behind the scenes of these internationally successful series that educate, entertain and inspire.