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Unprecedented demand for screening of new David Attenborough series

The BBC said it is “overwhelmed” after a screening of Sir David Attenborough’s latest BBC television show in a 300-capacity theatre attracted 80,000 ticket requests.

The veteran wildlife broadcaster has unveiled his new Seven Worlds, One Planet series, with a screening to be held at Bristol’s Showcase de Lux cinema in Cabot Circus later this month, with hopeful viewers required to apply for tickets.

Applications closed on Thursday, by which time 77,527 people had put in a bid for a place. Tickets will be allocated on a lottery basis, allowing winners to watch the first episode of the new BBC series on October 23.

More than 25,000 people applied within 24 hours of the announcement of the screening.

Attenborough will take part in a question-and-answer session with executive producer Jonny Keeling, series producer Scott Alexander and other members of the team.

Julian Hector, head of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, said: “We are overwhelmed with the support from our home town of Bristol and further afield.

“The programme will look spectacular on the big screen and our team are so excited to be sharing their stories with the crowd.”

The demand against the number of tickets means that fans have a one in 258 chance of obtaining tickets to the Attenborough event. This year, 2.4 million people applied for Glastonbury’s 135,000 tickets, giving each a one in 17 chance of securing one.

Ticket applications have come from all over the world, with people willing to travel from Scotland and even Australia.

Seven Worlds, One Planet, which involved 1,749 days of filming across 41 countries, will air on the BBC on October 27. Each of the seven episodes looks at a different continent, revealing how each one has shaped the animal life found there.

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