Diving off the sofa and straight to the National Marine Aquarium with Secrets of the Aquarium television series 

A brand new BBC Two six-part series is set to begin on Tuesday 14 November 2023 at 8.00pm taking viewers behind the scenes and under the water at the UK’s national  aquarium.

Ever wondered how a shark is moved from one tank to another? Or how many Ray’s is too many for one aquarium? Secrets of the Aquarium explores the incredible underwater homes of thousands of animals at the National Marine Aquarium, home to the Ocean Conservation Trust, from Tuesday 14 November 2023.

Filmed over an entire year, this six part series explores the day-to-day of the aquarium, including a once in a decade event where a problematic shark needs to be moved. With a nine minute window to get the shark, El Diablo, from one tank to another, which in this case means going from the very bottom to the top of the building - viewers can tune in to BBC Two to witness the team pull off this impossible mission. 

Diving with sharks, hugging fish, weighing stingrays, transporting turtles and introducing octopuses is all in a day’s work for the intrepid aquarium team. The brand new docu-series follows the lives of the 5000 extraordinary animals that live there as well as the 100 invaluable individuals who care for them daily. A prominent star of the show has to be Friday, the National Marine Aquarium’s resident Green Turtle. Inquisitive and a total menace, this mischievous turtle will bite anything, from equipment to people (all in the name of playtime) which has the team putting a lot of time and effort into entertaining Friday and distracting him from the divers. 

Produced by Welsh Production company, Hall of Mirrors, the warm, character-led series will be available to watch on BBC Two and iPlayer, and venture into the wild, following the team’s role in Blue Meadows, a vital new seagrass protection project, a trip to the Maldives for a rescue mission and dealing with some randy-rays who won’t stop mating. Those tuning in will see the team feed the starfish, swim with sharks, build a lobster cave and prepare for the arrival of the baby clownfish. From feeding to cleaning, there’s no job that viewers won’t be privy to as they get familiar with faces of the aquarium. 

Marcus Williams, Head Curator at Ocean Conservation Trust, said: “We can’t wait for the series to finally be aired. It was a surreal experience, having the film crew with us and filming throughout the year. It’s a fantastic insight into the incredible work that is being done here at the National Marine Aquarium, giving viewers a deep dive into what actually happens in the teams day-to-day. The series follows my first year in charge, which has been a huge brief. Together, our main goal is to reconnect people with the ocean, change their attitudes towards the ocean and save the world… so no pressure!”

Clare Mottershead, BBC Commissioning Editor, said: “Secrets of the Aquarium has been such an eye opening project for us and we can’t wait to bring the wonders of this underwater world to our audiences. There’s so many wonderful moments and surprising stories from the people who work at the National Marine Aquarium and the creatures who inhabit it.”  

Tune in to BBC Two on Tuesday 14 November at 8.00pm to catch the first episode of Secrets of the Aquarium. To keep up to date with all announcements from the National Marine Aquarium, head to the website and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.