How did the elephant get so big? Chris Packham explores the four-billion-year story of how a tiny cell evolved into complex, gentle giants.
Chris Packham embarks on an extraordinary journey through deep time to uncover how a creature as vast, complex and charismatic as the elephant came to be. From a tiny cell over four billion years ago to one of the planet’s most iconic giants, this is the surprising story of life's most radical transformation.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Chris Packham |
| Director | Tom Hewitson |
| Producer | Tom Hewitson |
| Producer | Sarah-Jane Walsh |
| Editor | Ben Lavington Martin |
| Production Manager | Millie McNab |
| Line Producer | Raewyn Dickson |
| Series Producer | Alice Jones |
| Executive Producer | Andrew Cohen |
| Executive Producer | Rob Liddell |
Broadcasts
- Mon 13 Jul 2026 21:00
- Sat 18 Jul 2026 19:30Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Two except Wales & Wales HD
- Fri 24 Jul 2026 01:35
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Order your FREE poster from The Open University exploring evolution, biodiversity and the tree of life
Discover how species are connected and explore billions of years of evolutionary history.