The new album "Watership Down - Original Soundtrack Music and Songs" was released by Polydor Records on October 2nd 2000. It contains vocal performances from Cerys Matthews, Paul Carrack, Stephen Gately, Mike Batt, Art Garfunkel and Gary Martin (narration). It represents a year's work for Mike, and is presented as a Symphonic Suite interspersed with songs especially written for the TV series. The Royal Philharmonic combine with Chris Spedding (guitars), Ray Cooper (percussion),Henry Spinetti (Drums), Mitch Dalton (guitars), Mike Batt(keyboards and conductor) and Tim Harries (Bass guitars) - to produce a musical panoramic atmosphere for the series and an intensely melodic and powerful CD.

The ITV series (26 half hours, based on Richard Adams' novel) "Watership Down"was scored by Mike,- or more accurately, he provided a newly-scored "library" of hundreds of specially composed symphonic pieces- from 2 seconds to 6 minutes- for the animators and producers to use in post production of the series. Mike orchestrated and conducted the score for a full (80 piece) symphony orchestra- the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom Mike has worked many times.

The song, "Bright Eyes" which Mike wrote for the "Watership Down" movie back in 1976 (released 1979) was re-recorded with Stephen Gately of Boyzone, singing. (The original recording was by Art Garfunkel, produced and arranged by Mike, and went to number one in 7 countries, staying at the number 1 slot in UK for six weeks).