Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville's next TV role revealed

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville’s next TV role revealed

Last updated: 2024/11/13 at 7:55 AM

Hugh Bonneville is heading to the small screen for his next TV project in Apple TV+’s new show.

The Downton Abbey and Paddington star will narrate the upcoming ten-part docuseries, The Secret Lives of Animals, which focuses on 77 unique species in 24 countries over the course of three years.

Hugh Bonneville attends the World Premiere of "Downton Abbey: A New Era" at Cineworld Leicester Square on April 25, 2022 in London, England — Hugh Bonneville narrates Apple TV+’s new docuseries

The show reveals “stunning, never-before-seen animal behaviours” and highlights the “remarkable intelligence of the natural world”.

Each episode of the series, which hails from the acclaimed BBC Studios Natural History Unit, delves into “pivotal moments in the life cycles of various animals—from birth and leaving home to raising a family, and from finding food to growing old—showcasing their striking intelligence and adaptability,” reads the synopsis.

A seal in The Secret Lives of Animals — The Secret Lives of Animals highlights 77 unique species in 24 countries

“Highlights include an orb-weaving spider constructing a deceptive “self-portrait” puppet to deter predators; a wood mouse that creates its own signposts; and, an unexpected relationship between a reticulated humming frog and a burrowing tarantula,” it continues.

Fans don’t have long to wait as the episodes will premiere on Apple TV+ on December 18, 2024.

A bear in The Secret Lives of Animals — The series arrives on December 18, 2024

The Secret Lives of Animals isn’t Hugh’s only recent TV role. The 61-year-old actor is set to guest star in Paramount +’s new thriller series, The Agency, which arrives later this month.

WATCH: The trailer for Michael Fassbender’s upcoming spy thriller The Agency

Starring Michael Fassbender, the upcoming show follows covert CIA agent Martian (Fassbender), who is ordered to abandon his undercover life and head back to London, leaving behind the woman he loves, Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith).

Hugh will take on the role of British agent James Richardson, who has a long-standing history with Martian.

Michael Fassbender as Martian in The Agency — Michael Fassbender stars as Martian in The Agency

The synopsis continues: “When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.”

Starring alongside Michael, Jodie and Hugh are Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Katherine Waterston (Slow Horses), John Magaro (Orange Is the New Black), Richard Gere (Pretty Woman) and India Fowler (The Nevers).