I think the BBC commissions film crews to go around the world and record nature / etc. Many times, each location shot has multiple storyboards they’re trying to fulfill for different documentaries.
Then, that footage is available to license to be chopped up and used in any number of projects that weren’t part of the original commission.
That’s why you see the same footage repackaged in very different ways over the years.
So the 3rd party commission could have just been the DA narration and some short DA film clips edited over BBC content.
IIRC (this was months ago) the episode in question wasn’t commissioned by the BBC but by a third party
I would then ask how the production was insured if a 3rd party was able to commandeer BBC personnel and equipment.
I think the BBC commissions film crews to go around the world and record nature / etc. Many times, each location shot has multiple storyboards they’re trying to fulfill for different documentaries.
Then, that footage is available to license to be chopped up and used in any number of projects that weren’t part of the original commission.
That’s why you see the same footage repackaged in very different ways over the years.
So the 3rd party commission could have just been the DA narration and some short DA film clips edited over BBC content.