SAMUEL WEST & ADRIAN EDMONDSON RETURN TO 5 WITH EXTENDED SECOND SERIES OF  

SAM & ADE GO BIRDING

Following the success of the first series, 5 has recommissioned Sam & Ade Go Birding for an extended second run, with 6 x 60’ new episodes produced by Frank Films.  

Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson return, once again exploring Britain’s birdlife and landscapes with gentle humour, reflection and friendship at the heart. Spanning the changing seasons, Sam & Ade Go Birding captures the natural world at its most dynamic - from spring’s migratory birds and nesting season to the quieter, more contemplative months later in the year.  

Bitten firmly by the birding bug, Ade wants Sam to show him more. Across the series, they travel from the rolling hills and towering sea cliffs of Yorkshire and the wilds of West Wales to the remote isles and dramatic coastlines of Scotland, exploring some of Britain’s most spectacular landscapes in search of birds big and small. Along the way they encounter swifts, swallows, curlews, red kites, ospreys, woodland songbirds, puffins, guillemots and gannets.   

As ever, the series is as much about friendship as it is about birds, with the duo sharing candid, funny and moving stories of ageing, family, mortality and the rhythms of life. Beautifully filmed and deeply uplifting, Sam & Ade Go Birding remains a celebration of the British countryside, the changing seasons and the simple joy of looking up - together.   

The first series saw Samuel West and Adrian Edmondson longlisted for the Grierson Award for Best Documentary Presenter*.

Samuel West shared: “My dastardly plan to get Adrian Edmondson addicted to birding seems to be paying off. Ade said he wanted to see more birds, so I thought we should go and find some. I’m not particularly fond of him, but the birds are lovely.”   

Adrian Edmondson added: “More birds, more stunning views, more chats, more trips to the pub - it’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it.”   

Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor, 5 noted: “It’s no secret just how much I adore this joyful series…or how long I waited to make it, but the wait was so worth it as Sam and Ade have created something truly special - warm, funny, thoughtful and full of wonder and I was thrilled at just how much our audience loved it too… So, I couldn’t be happier to be working with Frank Films again to bring our viewers six more episodes of this beautiful, uplifting avian adventure”   

Jamie Balment, Executive Producer, Frank Films commented: “The first series was such a genuine joy to make, that I feel hugely lucky to have the opportunity to spot more of Britain’s birds with Sam’s knowledge & Ade’s curious eye.”   

Series 2 of Sam & Ade Go Birding (6 x 60’) has been commissioned by Kit Morey, Commissioning Editor for 5. Produced by Frank Films, Jamie Balment serves as Executive Producer and Rob Gill is Series Director.   

The series is currently in production with a TX date to be announced in due course. 

*Grierson Awards to be announced in November.

ENDS 

For more information please contact:    

Hannah Allan  hannah.allan@paramount.com

Notes to Editors   

Critical Acclaim from Series 1  

The Daily Telegraph - ★★★★ “Undeniably pleasant, all played out to the gentle sound of birdsong” 

The Times - ★★★★ “We need shows like this. Gentle men unafraid to examine their feelings” 

The Daily Mail - ★★★★ 

About 5  

5 is the home of award-winning content from the UK’s third largest commercial PSB, a culmination of the creative transformation of Channel 5 over more than a decade. 5 is part of the Paramount Skydance Corporation. Through a mix of live TV channels and bingeable boxsets, the free-to-air service allows UK audiences to watch or stream the breadth of programming from the 5-branded portfolio, the dedicated preschool brand Milkshake!, and a wide selection from the wider Paramount family of brands, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV Entertainment Studios, Paramount+ and more.  In keeping with its PSB remit, 5 tells the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the UK, featuring well-known faces and fresh new talent. Its programme roster spans original UK drama, premium factual, true crime, science, news & current affairs and kids’ content, which continue to attract critical acclaim.    

Recent wins include ‘Favourite Broadcaster/Streaming Service’ at the 2026 TV Choice Awards; ‘Channel of the Year’ at the 2025 Edinburgh TV Awards; BAFTA Television and RTS Awards for the documentary White Nanny, Black Child in 2024; along with a BAFTA nomination for Endurance Race to the Pole. Factual hit The Yorkshire Vet and the broadcaster’s series on air fryers also won RTS Yorkshire awards, while Michael Palin received the Radio Times Special Judges Award for his Channel 5 documentaries.  

About Frank Films    

Frank Films is a Bafta and RTS-award winning documentary production company. Based in Bristol, they are led by ex-BBC Documentaries Commissioning Editor Jamie Balment. Recent credits include Tribe with Bruce Parry; Strike: The Women Who Fought Back & Trawlermen: Chasing the Catch.