Wild at Heart is a British television drama series created by Ashley Pharoah about a veterinary surgeon and his family, who emigrate from Bristol to South Africa, where they attempt to rehabilitate a game reserve for wild animals and establish a veterinary surgery and animal hospital. The show was broadcast on ITV for seven series beginning on 29 January 2006 and ending on 30 December 2012.

History

Wild at Heart began airing 29 January 2006 on ITV. It ran for seven series, concluding 30 December 2012 with a two-hour finale. It was filmed on location at the Glen Afric Country Lodge, a 1500-acre game reserve and sanctuary that is home to a host of African wildlife, including lions, giraffes, elephants and cheetahs. Glen Afric is located in Broederstroom, North West Province, South Africa. A large set called 'Leopards Den' was built on the property specifically for the production. Producer Ann Harrison-Baxter said: "We literally walked every inch of the reserve to find the best place to build the house, and then it was all created from scratch and aged to look like it had been there for more than a century in just 10 weeks!" Leopards Den was significant as a symbolic character in its own right throughout the show's seven years. It served as the backdrop against which the family struggled to carve out a new life for themselves, and ultimately to survive and remain together.

The primary cast included Stephen Tompkinson as Danny Trevanion; Amanda Holden as Danny's second wife Sarah Trevanion (his first wife, Miranda, is mentioned in the series but died off-screen prior to the start) Lucy-Jo Hudson as Danny's daughter Rosie; Deon Stewardson as the Trevanions' business partner Anders DuPlessis, Hayley Mills as Sarah's mother Caroline; Luke Ward-Wilkinson as Danny's stepson Evan Rafaella Hutchinson as Danny's step-daughter Olivia (series 1-3); Olivia Scott-Taylor as Danny's step-daughter Olivia (series 5-7); Nomsa Xaba as Nomsa, cook and housekeeper at Leopards Den; Thapelo Mokoena as Cedric Fatani, manager at Mara; Martinus Van der Berg as town barman and Rosie's husband, Max; Dawn Steele as Alice Collins (later Trevanion, when she becomes Danny's third wife); Megan Martell as Alice's daughter Charlotte (series 4-5); Tarryn Faye Brummage as Alice's daughter Charlotte (series 6-7), and Atandwa Kani as Thabo.

Wild at Heart was immensely popular in the UK, with ratings peaking at approximately 10 million viewers and never averaging less than 7.5 million over any series (see below). However, the show faced strong competition during Series 7 and speculation appeared in British online newspaper articles in February 2012 that Wild at Heart would be axed after Series 7.Hit ITV series Wild at Heart 'set for axe after ratings dip', Metro, 22 February 2012 In April 2012, similar statements appeared, but ITV did not publish a formal press release confirming that the show was cancelled.

The two-hour finale special was filmed at Leopards Den in September 2012 and aired on 30 December 2012 on ITV. ITV's Head of Drama Series Steve November said: "Wild at Heart will end on a high thanks to the fantastic cast, crew and writing team who produce the drama. We couldn't wish for a better script to celebrate an immensely successful series for ITV." The finale special was followed on 31 December 2012, by a one-hour documentary titled Wild at Heart: Filming With Animals (see below).

In a BBC Radio 2 interview with Simon Mayo on 24 October 2012, Stephen Tompkinson said, "We got back [from South Africa] about three weeks ago [after filming the finale special]. It was very sad to say 'goodbye'...We are ending it in a way that will let you know it's really the end. We're not sort-of loosely hanging on to go try and get a Christmas Special or a Valentine's Day Special out of it. This is it. It ends with a lovely wedding; I'm not going to say who." (Note: BBC Radio 2 makes their interviews available via iPlayer for only a brief period and this interview is no longer available.)

Wild at Heart aired as a simulcast on TV3 Ireland.Wild at Heart on 3Player The pilot episode was remade for an American audience, with a predominantly American cast, different characters and a loosely similar plot line. It succeeded enough for a first full series to be commissioned with the title Life Is Wild. It aired on The CW Television Network in the US, the Hallmark Channel in the United Kingdom, Skai TV in Greece and Warner Channel in South Africa. However, ratings were low and the show was cancelled after Series 1.

The animal action was monitored by the Animal Anti-Cruelty League.

Cast and characters Character Series1234567FinaleDanny Trevanion Stephen TompkinsonSarah Trevanion Amanda HoldenAnders Duplesssis Deon StewardsonNomsa NguniNomsa XabaRosie Trevanion Lucy-Jo Hudson Lucy-Jo HudsonEvan Adams Luke Ward-WilkinsonOlivia Adams Rafaella Hutchinson Olivia Scott-TaylorCaroline Duplessis Hayley MillsCedric Fatani Thapelo MokoenaMax Gifthold Martinus Van Der Berg Amy Kriel Jessie WallaceAlice Collins Dawn SteeleCharlotte Collins Megan Martell Tarryn Faye BrummageGeorgina Black Juliet MillsRowan Collins Cal MacAnichVanessa Mary Anne BarlowThabo Atandwa KaniChristian Peeters (S6-S7)Luke Peeters (S7) David ButlerEd Lynch Robert Bathurst Fiona Lynch Jill Halfpenny

Actor Character Duration Episodes NotesPrimary Characters Stephen Tompkinson Danny Trevanion 2006–12 1x01-7x11 Dawn Steele Alice Trevanion 2009–12 4x03-7x01, 7x11 Lucy-Jo Hudson Rosie (Trevanion) Gifthold 2006–09, 2012 1x01-4x06, 7x04-7x11 Olivia Scott-Taylor Olivia Adams 2006–2008, 2010–12 1x01-3x08, 5x04-7x11 Rafaella Hutchinson (2006–08) Tarryn Faye Brummage Charlotte Collins 2009–12 4x03-7x11 Megan Martell (2009–10) Deon Stewardson Anders "Dup" Du Plessis 2006–12 1x01-7x11 Died 2017 Hayley Mills Caroline Du Plessis 2007–12 2x06-3x08, 4x10-7x11 Nomsa Xaba Nomsa Nguni 2006–12 1x01-7x11 Thapelo Mokoena Cedric Fatani 2007–12 2x02-7x11 Bailey the Cheetah Cassidy 2012 Past Characters Robert Bathurst Ed Lynch 2012 7x01-7x10 Jill Halfpenny Fiona Lynch 2012 7x08-7x10 Atandwa Kani Thabo 2010–12 5x08, 6x01-7x07 Also in Life is WildDavid Butler Christian PeetersLuke Peeters 2011–12 6x05-7x027x05 Also in Life is Wild Niama McLean Buhle 2010–11 5x03-6x10 Mentioned in series 7 Kagiso Legoadi Cashile 2010–11 5x03-5x04, 5x10-6x02, 6x07-6x10 Sithokomele Majola Junior Fatani 2011 Bovril Jana the Cheetah 2006–11 Mary Anne Barlow Vanessa 2009–11 4x02-6x06 Hamley Hamley the Giraffe 2006–11 Cal MacAninch Rowan Collins 2009–10 4x08-5x10 Mentioned in series 7 Fana Mokoena Mr Ekotto 2007–10 Recurring Luke Ward-Wilkinson Evan Adams 2006–09 1x01-4x10 Mentioned in series 5 & 6 Juliet Mills Georgina Black 2009 4x01-4x04, 4x07-4x10 Mentioned in series 5, 6 & 7 Shana Burton Grace 2009 4x02-4x10 Martinus Van Der Berg Max Gifthold 2007–09 2x01-4x06 Mentioned in series 5 & 7 Wayne Van Rooyen Kirk Du Plessis 2007–09 2x03, 2x09, 3x03, 4x06 Mentioned in series 5 Kim Cloete Neema Du Plessis 2008–09 3x03, 4x06 Unnamed actor Amber Du Plessis 2008–09 3x03, 4x06 Jessie Wallace Amy Kriel 2008 3x05-3x08 Craig Gardner Elliot Kriel 2008 3x03-3x08 Busi Lurayi Thandi Nguni 2007–08 2x02-2x10 Mbongeni Nhlapo Regal 2006–08 Amanda Holden Sarah Trevanion 2006–08 1x01-3x08 Mentioned in series 4–7 Gary Lawson Alex Tate 2006–07 1x02-2x01 Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe Themba Khumalo 2006 1x03-1x06 Guest CharactersNick Boraine Dylan 2012 7x11 Finale Special 2012Colin Moss Martin Stillman 2012 7x11 Finale Special 2012Danny Keogh Piet Stillman 2012 7x11 Finale Special 2012Dominika Jablonska Beth 2012 Series 7Bryan Van Niekerk Jonas Rittman 2011 Warren Clarke Robert Trevanion 2011 6x01 Camilla Waldman Hannah 2010 Nicholas Le Prevost Gene 2010 Susie Blake Judith 2008 Maggie O'Neill Elaine 2008 David Warner Gerald 2007 2x08 Mentioned in series 3 Samantha Womack Tessa 2007 2x02 Geoffrey Hutchings Bill 2007 2x02 Edith MacArthur Dora 2007 2x02 Vincent Regan simon adams yerger 2006–07 1x03, 2x07 Mentioned in series 3–5

Ratings Series Episodes Aired Average Viewers (Millions) 1 6 29 January – 5 March 2006 9.67 2 10 14 January – 25 March 2007 7.94 3 8 13 January – 9 March 2008 8.16 4 10 11 January – 15 March 2009 7.99 5 10 10 January – 14 March 2010 7.71 6 10 9 January – 13 March 2011 8.09 7 10 8 January – 11 March 2012 7.53 Finale Special 1 30 December 2012 6.04 NOTE: All ratings retrieved from https://www.barb.co.uk and include ITV1 HD and ITV1 +1 for series 6 onwards. (BARB website does not allow capture of page URLs for specific rating sets.)

Series synopsis