Orla Doherty is an Irish television producer, marine explorer, and science communicator whose work has brought the hidden worlds of the ocean to audiences around the globe. Combining a background in chemistry with decades of field experience at sea, she has built a career at the intersection of scientific discovery, conservation, and visual storytelling.

Before joining the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, Orla spent nearly a decade working with the crew of the Research Vessel Heraclitus as part of the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation, participating in expeditions throughout the Pacific Ocean to study and document coral reef ecosystems. This immersive experience laid the foundation for her later work communicating the importance and fragility of the world’s oceans.

Orla went on to become one of the principal producers of the acclaimed BBC series Blue Planet II, producing the landmark episode The Deep and co-producing Our Blue Planet. Her work included more than 500 hours in submersibles, reaching depths of 1,000 metres, participating in pioneering Antarctic expeditions, and helping capture the first filmed whale fall in the Atlantic Ocean. She later produced Oceans: Our Blue Planet and served as Co-Executive Producer of Mission OceanX.

Recognized internationally for her contributions to natural history filmmaking, Orla was named one of British Vogue‘s Women Shaping 2018. As a Fellow of the Institute of Ecotechnics, she exemplifies the Institute’s commitment to combining scientific inquiry, exploration, and compelling storytelling to deepen our understanding of the living planet.