Channel 5 Orders Sam & Ade Go Birding From Frank Films

Channel 5 has commissioned Sam & Ade Go Birding (w/t), a three-part, 60-minute factual series from Frank Films that teams actors Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson for a set of weekend birdwatching adventures across the UK.

The series was ordered by Kit Morey for 5 and is slated to air in 2026, with a transmission date to follow.

The programme charts the pair's travels around the British Isles, blending wildlife encounters with a warm portrait of friendship. West, known for All Creatures Great & Small and Slow Horses, brings two decades of birding experience and a list of more than 400 British species, while Edmondson (Alien: Earth, A Spy Among Friends) approaches the pastime as a newcomer, eager to learn.

Across three trips, West and Edmondson head to West Cornwall in search of Cornish choughs, waders and transatlantic strays; to North Norfolk to track Brent and pink-footed geese; and to the Somerset Levels to watch for kingfishers, egrets and the elusive bittern. The series features striking photography and sweeping landscapes, with candid conversations touching on obsession, ageing, acting, childhood, loss and the geeky hobbies that have gripped them.

Samuel West shared: "Watching birds is a simple pleasure. At heart, it’s an invitation to connect with the natural world. All you need is a desire to look, listen and enjoy. A pair of binoculars helps; a friend to share it with makes it even better (especially when they’re as much fun as Adrian Edmondson). I’m thrilled that we get to invite the 5 audience along with us on our travels; they’ve already proved how tasteful and clever they are by liking All Creatures Great and Small so much. Welcome to the gentle art of noticing."

Adrian Edmondson added: "I don't know how I got to be this old without knowing more about birds. It feels like a huge hole in my education. Sam is going to fill me in. And…we get to go to the pub!"

Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor at 5, noted: "Sam & Ade Go Birding is one of the most heartwarming pieces of televisual joy I've had the good fortune to be part of. Whilst celebrating Britain's beautiful birdlife, Sam and Ade share their equally beautiful friendship and remind us that it really is the simple things in life that can bring the greatest happiness. Frank Films have creating something truly special, and at a time when the world feels overwhelming, we hope 5's audiences will welcome this calm, uplifting and extremely humorous escape."

Jamie Balment, Executive Producer at Frank Films, commented: "This has been so genuinely lovely to make it and hasn’t felt much like the preceding twenty years of my career. I'm chuffed to bits by what Sam & Ade – and a brilliant team headed by Rob Gill – have pulled off. I hope it will soar like an eagle."

The series includes visits to RSPB and local wildlife trust reserves. Beccy Speight, RSPB's CEO, said: "I was thrilled to see our amazing ambassador Sam West centre stage here - his passion for birds shines through every scene and together with Ade’s humour, their camaraderie and the incredible birds and scenery, the series absolutely captures the zeitgeist - millions of people are discovering a love of birds and I’m sure this will inspire even more!

"I really hope it encourages viewers to go out and explore not just the RSPB and Wildlife Trust reserves so beautifully featured, but to use this spring to enjoy nature wherever they are – it's inspiring, it is vital for our wellbeing and it needs us all to be championing it right now."