At a time when our planet is more threatened than ever, the magnificent pictures regularly beamed onto our screens, reflecting real stories of nature's circle of life, remind us of what a truly wonderful world we inhabit.  One of Derek's earliest influences was artist and environmentalist Don Conroy - once a regular on RTÉ television children’s programme The Den, and still going strong!  For more information on Don's work, visit www.donconroy.com.  And a 50p ticket into Ranelagh’s Sanford Cinema in the 1980s to see French director Luc Besson’s The Big Blue confirmed Derek's ambition to make a life in natural history broadcasting...

The Big Blue, with its extensive, beautiful underwater scenes and languid musical soundtrack, had Derek well and truly hooked.

So today we bring you another chance to hear from some of the greats of the wildlife filmmaking world, whose dedication has brought us such amazing footage of nature in the wild – and who have joined us on the show over the past year or so...

DOUG ALLAN

Legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough has described Scottish film-maker Doug Allan as "one of the toughest in the business" - and anyone who’s spent any time filming in the frozen wilderness of the Antarctic will understand why.

From left: Richard Collins, Doug Allan, Eanna ni Lamhna and Derek Mooney

Doug Allan is a kind of intrepid treasure hunter, venturing into places where others fear to tread, using his eagle eye to capture priceless televisual gems through the lense of his carefully trained camera - from killer whales circling their prey, to fluffy polar bear cubs frolicking in the snow...

Doug chats to Derek about the experience of filming polar bears in temperatures of -40°, describes the challenges in filming 'topside' vs. underwater, and the ideal distance at which to film a polar bear!  For more information on Doug and his work, visit www.dougallan.com.

THEO JEBB

Although Dubliner Theo Jebb is an Emmy award-winning cameraman, he is nevertheless a relatively new kid on the film-making block.  Like Doug, he also has experience of filming polar bears.  He told us about his first encounter with these majestic white beasts of the north, sharing his first hand experience of just how difficult it is to get those shots...

Theo chats with Derek and Richard Collins about the special antimicrobial clothes worn whilst filming, the dangers of filming polar bears, and how filmmakers should always remember to not just record their subjects, but to see them and enjoy it as one of the great experiences of life.

From left: Richard Collins and Theo Jebb

For more information about Theo Jebb and his work, visit www.sondervisuals.com.

COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON

Colin Stafford-Johnson is a multi-award-winning cinematographer and presenter, and is perhaps best known here in Ireland for series like Living The Wildlife, The Secret Life Of The Shannon and Wild Ireland.  Derek spoke earlier about how he was inspired to pursue a life in natural history broadcasting after watching The Big Blue, so we wondered what prompted a cameraman like Colin Stafford-Johnson to head out into the wild...

Colin talks to Derek and Richard about growing up in Cabinteely in Dublin, how his father Barney Johnson was Ireland's first TV gardener, filming Broken Tail in India and basking sharks in Irish waters, and about recording a fight between a tiger and a bear!

Colin Stafford-Johnson's talking tour of Ireland and the UK, Living A Wildlife with Colin Stafford-Johnson UK Tour 2018, starts on Thursday, September 27th 2018.  Illustrated with his own stunning film footage and photography, the talk promises unique natural history stories and special wildlife encounters in what promises to be a spell binding evening. The two Irish dates on the tour are:

Thurs., Sep 27th Bray, Mermaid Arts Centre +353 1 272-4030

Fri., Sep 28th Dublin, Axis Ballymun +353 1 883-2100

For a detailed list of all UK dates, click here.

ORLA DOHERTY

Probably the most stunning wildlife series ever, the BBC’s Blue Planet II was broadcast last year.  Arriving sixteen years after The Blue Planet, it was about four years in the making.  These beautifully produced programmes revealed dazzling discoveries – literally every few moments.

One of Blue Planet II’s episodes entitled "The Deep" looked at the deep sea – the biggest habitat on earth, the inner space.  Just one part of the abyssal plain covers more than half of the planet’s surface.  More people have been to the moon than have been to the deepest parts of our oceans.  Whole species of creatures living there remain unnamed.  Many more are still undiscovered – with vast areas as yet uncharted.

PASADENA, CA - Producer Orla Doherty during the BBC America portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Producer Orla Doherty, whose parents hail from Donegal and Offaly, describes to Derek, Richard, and marine biologist Ken Whelan the fascinating experience of filming Blue Planet II.

GAVIN THURSTON

Radio and television increasingly play a major role in educating us about the threats which loom large in the natural world – and escalating conservation problems are now being highlighted as never before.  So how do programme makers balance the duty to inform, the desire to entertain and the temptation to campaign?

Derek talks to multi-award-winning director and cinematographer Gavin Thurston – a veteran of no fewer than seventeen of David Attenborough’s TV series, including Blue Planet II.

In March 2019, Blue Planet II Live In Concert - Take A Deep Breath comes to Belfast and Dublin.  The concert will "present a selection of stunning visuals from the television series, highlighting the incredible natural wonders of our blue planet in breath-taking detail, projected on a state-of-the-art 200sqm screen.  Accompanied by the original immersive music score, the concert will be performed live by a full symphony orchestra.  A fantastical journey from icy polar seas to pulsating coral reefs, from the luminous deep sea to enormous kelp forests: immerse yourself with Blue Planet II – Live In Concert, a simply breath-taking and epic show that you will never forget".  As part of a UK-Ireland tour, the two dates here are:

March 23rd 2019 – Belfast SSE Arena

March 24th 2019 – Dublin 3Arena

For more information and details of further tour dates around the UK, click here.

First Broadcast 10th of September 2018

Repeated RTÉ Radio 1, 28th of April 2019

Mooney Goes Wild presented by Derek Mooney airs Monday nights 10PM RTÉ Radio 1. Please visit our programme archive at the top right of this webpage for previous programmes, documentaries and podcasts. You can contact us at Mooney@rte.ie