Sad to note that trusted and respected presenter Sir David Attenborough has blotted his integrity copybook, again, as has the BBC.

Apparently footage of polar bear cubs was shot in a Dutch zoo for the BBC’s much-admired Frozen Planet documentary, but presented by Attenborough as happening in the Arctic wilderness. And a caterpillar, supposedly freezing under a rock in the wild, was filmed in a box.

The deception of TV viewers in this way by the BBC/Attenborough team is reportedly not uncommon. In 1997 polar bear cub footage was shot in a Frankfurt zoo and presented as happening in the wild. And in 2001 a lobster spawning sequence that was presented as taking place off the coast of Nova Scotia was filmed in an aquarium in the UK.

According to Attenborough and the BBC being honest with viewers during the programmes would have ruined the atmosphere and spoilt the mood. Faking it for entertainment is, apparently, the nature of the industry.