David Attenborough fans left facing ‘nightmares' after spider sequence
For most people, just the thought of a cluster of spiders crawling on top of each other within a large, entangling web is enough to send a shiver down your spine.
But for David Attenborough and his latest series Parenthood, which explores the trials and tribulations of parenting within the animal kingdom, clearly, that's not enough.
The 99-year-old natural historian seems to be intent on showcasing one of the most nightmarish sequences possible as a 1,000-strong pack of young African social spiders can be seen eating their mothers.
Captured by TV cameras in a never-before-seen moment, the premier episode of the series saw the spiders prey in a game of 'grandmother's footsteps' where they freeze in unison like musical statues before eating their elderly relatives.
Attenborough explained 'demands of parenthood are finally taking their toll' on the mothers who offered their body as a 'gift' to their offspring before they departed.
The atmospheric music, toe-curling sound effects and Attenborough's iconic voice combined to create the painstaking moment.
'Unsurprisingly, the moment left many viewers in complete shock. Oh my GOD they eat their Mum then all their relatives. It just confirms what I have always know spiders are EVIL,' Viki posted on X.
'These spiderlings are nightmare fuel,' Melanie shared.
'A lioness, a giraffe,a hippo & a gang of cannibal spiders, it's been a bit of a blood bath in tonight's #Parenthood I can hardly watch,' Neil added.
Series producer and director Jeff Wilson described it as 'probably one of the best' sequences he had worked on in 30 years of film-making.
'[I've] never heard Sir David deliver a sequence as good as that… it sort of brings a lump to your throat… he's the master at delivery,' he told the Guardian.
'It makes one feel quite sort of chilled to the bone that you know that your own young could do that. It's an extraordinary behaviour [but] when you step away from it and from the horror of it, it sort of makes sense.'
He added that Attenborough was both 'delighted and horrified' by the groundbreaking footage.
Joking, he also said that 'there will not be a parent of the land who won't turn up to school pickup without snacks ever again'.
This comes after Metro exclusively shared a spectacularly tender moment from Parenthood between a female western lowland gorilla and her newborn baby.
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The snoozing baby gorilla is in a state of peaceful relaxation while lying on his mother's chest, his eyes closed as the forest hums gently around them.
The five-part series Parenthood promises to show viewers never-before-seen animal behaviours while delivering a 'universal message about preserving the natural world.' More Trending
Speaking to The Mirror, BBC head of specialist factual commissioning, Jack Bootle, described Parenthood as 'wonderful, warm, engaging, and surprising'.
He said that it is 'made by some of the very best wildlife filmmakers in the world,' adding: 'I'm thrilled Sir David is joining us again to narrate it.'
Parenthood is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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A version of this article was originally published on July 31, 2025.
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