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Pioneering wildlife cameraman Doug Allan dies after falling ill in Nepal

James Delaney,BBC Scotlandand
Keshav Koirala,BBC Nepali
Pioneering wildlife cameraman Doug Allan dies in Nepal

The acclaimed wildlife cameraman and photographer Doug Allan has died after becoming unwell on a mountain trek in Nepal.

Allan, 74, was principal cameraman on BBC documentaries including The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, and spent much of his career working alongside Sir David Attenborough.

BBC News understands he suffered breathing difficulties on Monday, soon after setting out on a trek to Annapurna base camp. Doctors said he died of a brain haemorrhage in hospital in the city of Pokhara on Wednesday.

Allan's management company said he was a "true pioneer of wildlife filmmaking".

News imageDoug Allan Two polar bears standing on their hind legs on snowy tundra, facing each other and touching forepaws, with a dark blue sky in the background.Doug Allan
Allan spent hundreds of days in the field searching for and filming polar bears

The Scottish photographer won eight Emmy Awards for his work and was made an OBE for services to broadcast media and environmental awareness in 2024.

In a tribute, Jo Sarsby Management said: "Doug leaves behind a visual legacy that few could ever match.

"His work brought audiences closer to the wonders of our planet, inspiring awe, understanding and deep respect for the planet.

"When we think of Doug, we will always remember his unforgettable kindness and his extraordinary talent.

"He was a true gentleman and will be profoundly missed."

News imageSue Flood a diver with a camera filming a large whale just beneath the surface of the water against a deep blue ocean backdropSue Flood
Allan at work, getting up close with whales under water

According to tourist police in Nepal, Allan developed respiratory problems on Monday, the first day of his trek near the Dhampus area.

His destination was base camp at Annapurna - the tenth highest mountain in the world at 8,091m (26,545 ft).

Allan was taken to Care Mark Hospital in Pokhara then transferred to the city's Manipal Hospital.

Dr Sanjay Chhetri said he was in a critical condition and arrived "under ventilator support". He died on Wednesday morning.

Sir David Attenborough talks about Doug Allan's work in the BBC series Wild Cameramen at Work

Born in 1951, in Dunfermline, Fife, Allan became interested in snorkelling and diving after watching Jacques Cousteau's film, The Silent World, a 1956 documentary which was one of the first to use underwater filming.

After graduating with a degree in marine biology from the University of Stirling, he took on a number of diving jobs.

His big break came when he was taken on as a research diver with the British Antarctic Survey, stationed at Signy Island in the South Orkney Islands.

He was later awarded the Polar Medal, an honour he would win twice, for his work.

In 1981, a chance meeting with Attenborough led to Allan working on the documentary series Living Planet, part of which was filmed in the Antarctic.

The experience inspired him to buy a 16mm cine camera which he used to film Emperor penguins, later selling his footage to the BBC.

He went on to establish himself as a specialist in filming in some of the planet's most extreme environments, particularly in cold climates or underwater

News imageGetty Images - Doug Allan Seal’s head emerging through a hole in sea ice, surrounded by frozen water and snow in a polar environment.Getty Images - Doug Allan
Allan was acclaimed for his intimate images of wildlife and the natural world
News imageGetty Images - Doug Allan Arctic fox with white winter fur standing on a snowy tundra, with distant snow-covered mountains under a pale blue sky.Getty Images - Doug Allan
Allan specialising in filming in some of the planet's coldest environments

Allan's ex-wife, Sue Flood OBE, paid tribute to the cameraman in a post on social media.

She said it was "of comfort to know that he was doing something adventurous with a dear friend of ours, with whom he'd shared many adventures over several decades".

A fellow wildlife photographer, she said his influence on her life had been profound and "led to a lifetime working in the polar regions, a passion we shared".

Flood said she would remember him "with deep affection, respect and gratitude for a lifetime of memories".

News imagePA Media Doug Allan, left, wearing a beige shirt, with his arms folded across his chest. He is bald and is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a silver watch on his right wrist. Sir David Attenborough, right, wearing a grey suit jacket over a blue shirt. He is smiling and has white hair. He is standing in front of a white and green background.PA Media
Allan worked with Sir David Attenborough for several years after meeting in 1981

In 2017, Allan told BBC Scotland he had spent about 620 days of his life searching for and recording polar bears.

He described how on one occasion a polar bear came looking for him.

"For a brief second, I thought there was someone with a squeegee mop cleaning the outside of the window. I turned around, and it was the bear's wet nose rubbing against the window."

In another close encounter, while filming underwater a hungry walrus mistook him for a seal and took hold of his legs. Allan frightened it away by hitting it on the head with his camera.

Allan later became a campaigner on environmental issues and, earlier this year, urged the Scottish government to back an "ecocide" bill designed to penalise companies that caused severe or ­widespread damage to the natural environment.

Allan won eight Emmy Awards, five Baftas and was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Photographic Society throughout his career.

Bafta Scotland awarded him the Outstanding Contribution to Craft prize in 2017 in recognition of his work.