David Attenborough of Scotland coming to city venue

Gordon Buchanan, described as Scotland’s own David Attenborough, will visit Durham Gala on Friday, February 27, as part of his Lions and Tigers and Bears tour, offering audiences a rare and personal glimpse into his encounters with some of the world’s most extraordinary animals.

The title of the tour, inspired by the iconic line from The Wizard of Oz—”Lions and tigers and bears… oh my”—reflects the focus of Buchanan’s storytelling: the powerful, awe-inspiring creatures that have shaped human history and remain central to our imaginations.

Mr Buchanan said: “I’m very spoilt seeing lions and tigers and bears in the wild – so it’s exciting to have the opportunity to tour the country and share these stories with thousands of people, being able to give them a sense of what it is like to get up close to polars in the Arctic, how fast you need to run to escape a sloth bear and what it’s like to bottle feed grizzlies.”

With more than three decades behind the camera, Mr Buchanan has spent his career documenting wildlife for programmes including Big Cat Diary, Lost Land Of The…, the Family & Me series, and Our Changing Planet.

He said the storytelling format of wildlife documentaries has evolved significantly during his time in the industry.

Mr Buchanan said: “Wildlife documentaries used to be about pointing at a lion, and saying ‘that’s a lion.’

“Now they are about their behaviour; how they live and interact in a modern world, some with humans, some in a fully wild environment.

“Knowing that the show has been a success, and that audiences had a great time, makes it easier to prepare and look forward to going back out there.

“One of the joys of a live tour is seeing people leaving with a smile on their face, having had a fun, inspiring, and uplifting evening, and I can’t wait to experience that again.”

For tickets and more information, visit www.gordon-buchanan.co.uk.