The programme will broadcast from Mount Stewart…
Winterwatch 2026 will be setting up home at the National Trust’s Mount Stewart on the shores of Strangford Lough in County Down to celebrate the wonder and magic of the winter season and its wildlife.
Jack Bootle, BBC Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual:
“Beautiful and teeming with wildlife, Mount Stewart is the perfect location for Winterwatch. We’re delighted to be working with the National Trust to bring this amazing part of Northern Ireland to audiences across the UK.”
Across four nights in early January, presenters Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams will share the latest wildlife updates from Mount Stewart and a range of seasonal stories from across the UK. With 10,000 recorded species and its varied woodlands, ghost ponds, rough farmland fields, twisting hedgerows and a tidal lough scattered with green islands, Mount Stewart will offer plenty of opportunities to spot the local wildlife and bring viewers the beauty and drama of the winter natural world.
Winter stories from Mount Stewart will include the local red squirrels, pine martens and badgers as all venture out into the wintery woodland. Thousands of songbirds arrive nearby allowing viewers to watch the large flocks of linnet, goldfinch, and redwing that descend to devour the estate’s abundance of seeds and berries.
Jenny Ferguson, General Manager for the National Trust at Mount Stewart: “We are thrilled to be hosting the team at Mount Stewart in January. We are excited to tell more stories about the wide range of wildlife which makes their home here on the shores of Strangford Lough and across the wider demesne, plus the challenges nature, and our teams face in adapting to the changing climate and more regular and extreme weather events.”
Bordering Mount Stewart, Strangford Lough is the largest sea lough in the British Isles. It’s famous for its wintering waterfowl, with many ducks and geese feeding on the rich grassland. As ever, live cameras will be located across the site and we will also bring pre-filmed stories from across the UK with plenty of opportunities for viewers to interact, get involved, and share their own winter wildlife encounters.
Adam Smyth, Director, BBC Northern Ireland:
“It’s great news that Winterwatch 2026 will be coming to Mount Stewart next January. We know how much BBC audiences will enjoy getting to see more of Mount Stewart and its wildlife. And we are delighted to be working with BBC Studios and the Natural History Unit in bringing this large-scale BBC outside broadcast to Northern Ireland. It should be a perfect start to the new television year.”
Winterwatch 2026 is produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit.
