Wild at Heart
The story of an English family who moves to the South African bush to set up and run a game reserve.
Genre: Drama
Cast:Stephen Tompkinson , Deon Stewardson , Nomsa Xaba , Thapelo Mokoena , Lucy-Jo Hudson , Hayley Mills , Dawn Steele , Luke Ward-Wilkinson , Olivia Scott-Taylor , Mary-Anne Barlow , Martinus Van Der Berg , Amanda Holden , Rafaella Hutchinson , Atandwa Kani , Megan Martell , Naima McLean , Tarryn Faye Brummage , Cal MacAninch
S1.E1 ∙ Episode #1.1
Danny saves a dying African monkey, unaware that he is sparking a chain of events that will change his family's lives forever.
S1.E2 ∙ Episode #1.2
As Danny considers signing a binding business contract, Sarah is appalled to learn the reserve would have fierce competition in the form of a nearby rival. Evan and Du Plessis accidentally run over a cheetah on the way to buy supplies - but the events of the day pale into insignificance when Olivia is bitten by a snake.
S1.E3 ∙ Episode #1.3
The arrival of Evan and Olivia's father throws the family into turmoil. He is determined to take his kids back to England with him and threatens to go to court to get custody. Sarah is furious - he wasn't thinking of them when he left her for his secretary. Rosie can't hide her delight that they might all be going home, but when a drunken fight breaks out in a bar, she is rescued by Tate.
S1.E4 ∙ Episode #1.4
Evan and Olivia run away after a series of rows with Danny, leaving Sarah to search for her children alone while Danny and Du Plessis go looking for a half-drugged lioness. While tracking the animal, they crash the truck - putting the warden in need of an emergency operation.
S1.E5 ∙ Episode #1.5
As their first tourists arrive a power cut and rampaging elephants threaten to destroy everything the family have achieved. Danny and Sarah's marriage is stretched to breaking point by Tate's interference.
S1.E6 ∙ Episode #1.6
An outbreak of anthrax threatens to wipe out all the animals at Leopard's Den. As Danny fights desperately to save their business from ruin, one of his family falls seriously ill.
S2.E1 ∙ The Wedding Reception
The Trevanions are struggling to make ends meet, so Sarah takes on the job of providing a wedding reception. But hungry lions are making life difficult. Meanwhile Danny is slowly building on his veterinary work, often not charging the poor to do so. Danny considers approaching his neighbour Tate for some prey to keep the lions at bay, but is reluctant to do as so as he suspects that Tate is allowing hunting illegally. Later Du Plessis hears that Tate has been seriously injured whilst doing so and insists that Danny, as the nearest medically trained person, go to treat him. In the meantime Sarah is having real problems with the reception planning, an elephant demolishes the marquee, and the reception flowers get eaten. Nomsa however calls in some of her friends who rally round to help out, and in the end the reception is a real success, only marred for the Trevanions by the news that Tate died in the air ambulance on his way to hospital.
S2.E2 ∙ Episode #2.2
It's the grand-reopening of Mara and a British charity is using the event to release a cape vulture back into the wild. But when Fatani forces Danny to compromise his principles the vulture sustains a serious injury. Rosie helps an elderly couple re-ignite their marriage and Nomsa's daughter Thandi, becomes Evan and Olivia's new teacher.
S2.E3 ∙ Episode #2.3
Du Plessis must confront a few ghosts from his past when a young man arrives at Leopard's Den claiming to be his son.
S2.E4 ∙ Episode #2.4
Leopard's Den is under annual inspection, and Danny's efforts to pass are thwarted when he discovers their water hole drained.
S2.E5 ∙ Episode #2.5
Danny has to make some difficult choices when his old mentor arrives at Leopard's Den.
S2.E6 ∙ Episode #2.6
It's chaos at Leopard's Den when Sarah's mum makes an unexpected visit. With Hayley Mills.
S2.E7 ∙ Episode #2.7
Sarah and Danny's marriage is tested when Sarah's ex husband Simon comes to Leopard's Den to get married. But when Danny has a near fatal accident, they realise the value of what they've got. Rosie takes a ranger's job at Mara and a giraffe has trouble settling in with its parents.
S2.E8 ∙ Episode #2.8
Caroline finds romance when a plane carrying a secret cargo crash-lands at Leopard's Den.
S2.E9 ∙ Episode #2.9
It's Du Plessis' 60th birthday. But he's been diagnosed with Angina and doesn't feel like celebrating. A concerned Danny tries to keep Du Plessis active by involving him in his lion breeding programme. But an attempt to inseminate a lioness ends in tragedy when Du Plessis and Danny are mauled by a lion.
S2.E10 ∙ Episode #2.10
As Du Plessis fights for his life, Sarah realizes Danny is suffering from PTSD.
S3.E1 ∙ Episode #3.1
New lodges nearly break the family, but they learn that it's the animals which make Leopard's Den a success.
S3.E2 ∙ Episode #3.2
Family feuds when new students turn up to train with Danny, and Sarah fires her own mother. Caroline goes to work for Mara, Rosie quits and Danny can't cope. On a game drive Caroline is attacked by lions which brings her back into the family fold, and Danny realises that Rosie has better instincts for the post of his assistant than any student.
S3.E3 ∙ Episode #3.3
Leopard's Den expands and Du Plessis becomes a grandfather after a close call with an angry elephant.
S3.E4 ∙ Episode #3.4
Danny's past catches up with him when another vet makes him tow the animal activist line. Caroline and Du Plessis go off to the bushvelt festival to replenish the wildebeest stocks, but Caroline finds camping not her style. Du Plessis goes on a blind date while Caroline buys ostrich to feed to the lions, and Sarah realises why she left the teaching profession.
S3.E5 ∙ Episode #3.5
A white lion brings mixed fortunes to the family and Rosie is asked the big question.
S3.E6 ∙ Episode #3.6
Rosie can't tell Danny or Sarah what she and Max are up to, and the drought is affecting everyone except Caroline's sister who causes trouble for the family. Danny's hospital plans falter and he decides to sell animals to pay for drilling equipment to find water for everyone since so many animals are dying in the drought. The whole town repays the Trevanians.
S3.E7 ∙ Episode #3.7
When the drought finally ignites a fire, the wedding turns into a firefight for everyone.
S3.E8 ∙ Episode #3.8
The hospital is lost in the fire, but the animals are now in danger of being trapped in the flames, so the Trevanions rush to help them. Disaster strikes and the family has to decide what it can do in the face of such tragedy. Africa has been their saviour and now could be their undoing.
S4.E1 ∙ Episode #4.1
Danny fails in his attempts to get custody of Evan and it looks like this will be Evan's last few days at Leopard's Den. Mara has gone bust and asset strippers have removed all the prey animals leaving the lions hungry and dangerous. When Du Plessis finds a lone baby elephant they have to take the law into their own hands in order to save her. But can Danny keep Evan in Africa, even if it means breaking the law?
S4.E2 ∙ Episode #4.2
Whilst on the run, Danny and Evan discover a sick hippo. They trace her illness to a local farm and risk discovery in order to save her. Rosie meets Vanessa, the glamorous new owner of Mara. She needs help with a sick lioness and Rosie's only option is to act illegally to save the lioness but in doing so she risks both her future and that of the animal hospital.
S4.E3 ∙ Episode #4.3
Danny is enlisted to help with an outbreak of rabies. The disease is spreading up the food chain and to make matters worse, Danny falls out with Alice, the feisty British vet sent to work with him. When Tula, the baby elephant, is attacked, Danny must decide whether he can trust Alice's judgement.
S4.E4 ∙ Episode #4.4
Rosie and Max finally tie the knot but tragedy strikes when they deal with a rogue elephant at Mara. Du Plessis is devastated when Caroline fails to return to Africa and he turns to drink after some harsh words from Georgina. Tula the baby elephant is sickening but will Alice's risky solution work?
S4.E5 ∙ Episode #4.5
Danny and Alice rescue a vicious and endangered wild dog. The family are shocked when the wild dog expert who arrives is Alice's ex, Terry. When Terry persuades Alice to give their relationship another go, Danny realises he's got to put his feelings on the line or risk losing Alice for good.
S4.E6 ∙ Episode #4.6
Du Plessis drops a bombshell on the family when he announces he's going to England to live with Caroline and he's not coming back. When Rosie investigates the plight of an agoraphobic lion she uncovers a shocking case of animal cruelty. But just how far is she prepared to go to save the animals?
S4.E7 ∙ Episode #4.7
Du Plessis is hailed as South Africa's version of Crocodile Dundee. However as he relishes his new found fame, the family worry that they've created a monster. Meanwhile all the publicity brings an unwelcome visitor who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
S4.E8 ∙ Episode #4.8
Danny and Alice's relationship reaches rock bottom when they have a blazing row at an animal auction. Alice is devastated when she realises she's pushed Danny straight into the arms of Vanessa. When a storm hits Leopard's Den it looks like Alice might never get to tell Danny how she really feels.
S4.E9 ∙ Episode #4.9
In the aftermath of the storm, the family dig frantically to rescue Charlotte from the rubble. Having made the difficult decision to leave an unconscious Danny in the bush, Alice battles through the darkness, desperate to find help before it's too late.
S4.E10 ∙ Episode #4.10
Danny and Alice struggle to keep their new relationship a secret, but there are more pressing concerns - the storm has caused devastation and the elephant family is missing. Relations between Leopard's Den and Mara reach breaking point, but will the feud cost the baby elephant her life?
S5.E1 ∙ Episode #5.1
With their wedding looming Du Plessis realises he's going to have to pull out all the stops to prove he's the right man for Caroline. But will he make the wedding in time?
S5.E2 ∙ Episode #5.2
When a white lioness's life hangs in the balance Danny realises he must put aside his jealousy if he's going to save the animal. Meanwhile Caroline gets much more than she bargained for when she leaves Du Plessis in charge of organising their honeymoon.
S5.E3 ∙ Episode #5.3
Alice becomes increasingly torn between helping Rowan rehabilitate a tiger at Mara and her responsibilities at Leopard's Den. Meanwhile Danny's project to help township animals takes a disastrous turn when a pregnant cow develops complications.
S5.E4 ∙ Episode #5.4
Danny confides in Du Plessis that he's going to ask Alice to marry him but the arrival of his step-daughter, Olivia, threatens to derail his plans. Meanwhile, Jana the family's cheetah is sick and Danny realises he must save the animal if he's to salvage his relationship with Olivia.
S5.E5 ∙ Episode #5.5
Danny and Alice's plans for a romantic trip away are ruined when they're involved in a terrible crash out in the bush. With an injured tourist on their hands and a lion on the loose, they are faced with a long, dark night ahead of them. Left home alone with Olivia, Du Plessis decides to get tough but will his attempts at Brat Camp backfire?
S5.E6 ∙ Episode #5.6
Danny's attempts to help Alice settle into her new job at Mara backfire when a hyena goes on the rampage. With the life of an animal in the balance, Danny realises he must pull out all the stops if he's to salvage his relationship with Alice.
S5.E7 ∙ Episode #5.7
When heartbroken Danny is distracted during the treatment of a black leopard there are disastrous consequences. Realising he's Danny's only hope, Du Plessis turns detective, determined to prove his friend's innocence, but can he save Danny's career?
S5.E8 ∙ Episode #5.8
With Danny's career in tatters, the family's plan to keep Danny busy with a group of young offenders backfires when one of them takes a shine to Olivia. Meanwhile we discover Rowan has an explosive secret that could tear the family apart.
S5.E9 ∙ Episode #5.9
There are dangerous consequences when Du Plessis ignores his health and collapses alone in the bush. Meanwhile Danny gets more than he bargained for when he deals with two rogue lions that are preying on local cattle.
S5.E10 ∙ Episode #5.10
When Du Plessis learns of Caroline's plans to buy them a retirement home he confesses to Olivia that he's spent all their money. Will they be able to resolve the situation before the family find out? Meanwhile Danny and Alice's plan to re-home a rare animal backfires when they meet Vanessa's father.
S6.E1 ∙ Episode #6.1
Danny's world is threatened when his estranged father comes to Leopard's Den with a secret that could blow the family apart. Meanwhile, Du Plessis is devastated, when left in charge of the lions, he misses a potentially deadly virus. Can the family pull together in time to save their lions?
S6.E2 ∙ Episode #6.2
Danny applies for the prestigious job of State Vet, but doesn't realise that closer to home, Du Plessis is feeling pushed out by the arrival of Thabo. A geologist comes to survey the area, arousing Du Plessis' suspicions, and a rogue baboon causes problems for the inhabitants of Leopard's Den.
S6.E3 ∙ Episode #6.3
Danny faces a tough choice when his investigation into an animal smuggling ring leads him closer to home than he thought. Meanwhile, Du Plessis tries to help Thabo but his allegiance is tested when he finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
S6.E4 ∙ Episode #6.4
With Danny overseeing an animal translocation, Alice is left to work alone on some lions with terrifying consequences. Meanwhile Du Plessis' attempt to show Caroline the real Africa back fires when he takes her on a no frills camping trip in the wilderness.
S6.E5 ∙ Episode #6.5
Strange events are occurring at Leopard's Den; elephants and lions relocate and crocodiles are found dead. Danny and Alice must work fast to solve the mystery before more animals die. Meanwhile, Du Plessis discovers a secret about Olivia which could blow the family apart.
S6.E6 ∙ Episode #6.6
Danny is called in to investigate Alice after the routine transportation of a tiger goes wrong and when the mining company announces they want to buy Leopard's Den, Du Plessis resorts to desperate measures in an effort to save his home.
S6.E7 ∙ Episode #6.7
Danny and Alice are divided when Peeters asks for their help with some rogue hyenas. Meanwhile Du Plessis' vandalism campaign against the mining company has dangerous consequences for Danny.
S6.E8 ∙ Episode #6.8
With the court case looming, Danny realises he might have to sacrifice his principles in order to save Leopard's Den. Meanwhile, Caroline decides they need someone on the inside, so she takes a job working at the mining company.
S6.E9 ∙ Episode #6.9
When the mining company take over Leopard's Den, Danny sets up a field hospital to look after his remaining animals. The family end up camping out there with Dup claiming squatters' rights. However, when their electricity generator fails, their protest takes a catastrophic turn. .
S6.E10 ∙ Episode #6.10
When Dup learns that rhino poachers are working in the area, he sees a way to persuade Danny that he has to stay in Africa. Meanwhile the family's last stand at Leopard's Den ends in tragedy.
S7.E1 ∙ Episode #7.1
A good deal of time has passed. Danny and Dup have been working at "Big Five" wild animal park to raise money a new property after losing Leopards Den. The rest of the family has been in England.
S7.E2 ∙ Episode #7.2
Caroline, Liv and Charlotte are excited to be back and are keen to see their new home, Clearwater Farm. Their excitement turns to dismay when they discover the place is a ruin. Dup confronts Danny about the suspicious death of Christian Peeters, and they agree to keep quiet about the dead body found in the Leopards Den swimming pool.
S7.E3 ∙ Episode #7.3
Danny has found a potential financial lifeline in a pharmaceutical company looking to fund an environmental project. He pitches his business plan, but the day lurches from disaster to disaster. It soon becomes apparent that Ed Lynch, veterinarian at Big Five, is competing for the same grant. Dup is determined to prevent the sale of Leopards Den to Lynch.
S7.E4 ∙ Episode #7.4
Caroline is furious that Danny appears to be betraying Dup by agreeing to work with Ed Lynch. When a controlled brush fire spirals out of control and a cheetah is injured, Caroline helps Lynch operate on the animal and she sees a more sympathetic side to him. Meanwhile, Rosie returns at Caroline's suggestion to try to help solve the family's problems. But where is Max?
S7.E5 ∙ Episode #7.5
Caroline's angry loyalty to Dup estranges the pair from the rest of the family. It appears Dup is coming unhinged by his belief that he's seen Christian Peeters' ghost in the township. Meanwhile, Ed and Danny try to rescue some animals from a zoo that's closing. Caroline confronts Dup, who reveals the truth about the circumstances of Peeters' death.
S7.E6 ∙ Episode #7.6
Danny is in prison, accused of murdering Peeters, but Dup sets out to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, Ed's increasingly suspicious behaviour makes Dup think he's harbouring a dark secret. With nobody around to help, Rosie goes on a lone search for a wild cheetah, leading her into danger.
S7.E7 ∙ Episode #7.7
Ed is left in charge of the endangered species project while Danny is away and Dup is doing community service. A beautiful new female vet turns up at the clinic, claiming to have a lion that carries the rare Barbary gene. Dup suspects the newcomer has an ulterior motive. Meanwhile, Fatani, Liv and Thabo are carrying out an animal census.
S7.E8 ∙ Episode #7.8
Everyone is surprised when Fiona arrives, claiming to be Ed's wife and seeking to reconcile the differences that led to their earlier separation. However, a misunderstanding leaves her thinking that Rosie is Ed's new love interest until Rosie announces that her and Max are getting divorced. Meanwhile, a disturbing link is revealed between some seemingly unrelated animal deaths.
S7.E9 ∙ Episode #7.9
The Trevanion Family's financial woes continue, as Danny and Ed are refused an extension on their mortgage. Desperate to restore his relationship with Alice and be by her side when the baby is born, Danny makes an anguished decision about his future that leaves Dup stunned.
S7.E10 ∙ Episode #7.10
Strange things are happening at Leopards Den as Danny prepares to leave for the UK. There's an invasion of frogs, an elephant has wandered into the kitchen, and the cheetah is off his food. Danny relishes one last adventure before his departure, but there's danger in it. Meanwhile, Dup makes an alarming discovery about Ed and Fiona. As Danny tries to leave Leopards Den the elephants block his path. Will he stay, or will he go?
S8.E0 ∙ Finale
It's one year later at Leopards Den. Ed Lynch and Fiona have since left Leopards Den and Alice is back, but work demands and caring for baby Robert lead to tensions with Danny. Martin, the new neighbor at Mara, has his eye on Alice. Liv and Fatani are struggling; nobody likes Rosie's fiance Dylan; and Dup receives a frightening medical prognosis. The family's cheetah Cassidy is poached, and tensions are high. Dup decides to use his remaining time to fix his ailing family by proving to Danny that his future son-in-law is worthy. As the wedding approaches, Danny, Dup, Rosie and Dylan set out on one last adventure, but Rosie is forced to fly them away from danger and it appears Dup has hatched his last disastrous plan. The saga of the Trevanion family concludes as Dup slips quietly away during Danny's wedding tribute. He climbs the rocky outcrop overlooking his beloved South African bush, where years earlier he made the decision to invite the Trevanions to live at Leopards Den. With tears of love Caroline explains, "He'll always be here." Framed by the setting sun, Dup removes his hat and closes his eyes, bringing the end to an era.
