{"id":789714,"date":"2026-10-02T14:28:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T14:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/789714\/"},"modified":"2026-10-02T14:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T14:28:09","slug":"wildlife-star-steve-backshall-makes-nature-cool-to-inspire-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/789714\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildlife star Steve Backshall makes nature ‘cool’ to inspire children"},"content":{"rendered":"

The presenter has previously spoken about how his childhood in Surrey prompted his love of nature<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He said his parents took on a smallholding in their 30s, adding: “We filled it with rescue animals, about which we had no idea, we were making everything up as we went along.”<\/p>\n

Backshall recalled it as a “crazy version” of the TV sitcom The Good Life.<\/p>\n

He said: “That was my childhood and it was absolutely incredible.”<\/p>\n

Backshall studied at Canterbury Christ Church, carrying out research into venoms from amphibians, and later received an honorary doctorate from the university.<\/p>\n

Explaining his focus on the world’s most formidable predators in his TV series Deadly 60, he said: “We deliberately deal with animals like birds of prey and sharks and crocodiles and snakes and spiders and scorpions, big cats, that kind that everyone is fascinated by.<\/p>\n

“Regardless of whether they think they like wildlife or not, they’re going to be vaguely interested in those things.”<\/p>\n

Laughing, he added: “Even if they’re not, they might watch anyway in the vague hope that I might get savaged by something.”<\/p>\n

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, external<\/a>, X, external<\/a>, and on Instagram, external<\/a> and listen to BBC Radio Surrey on Sounds<\/a>. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk , external<\/a>or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.<\/p>\n