Springing into action
You’re filling some pretty big shoes on Springwatch. Is it daunting to be taking over from Bill Oddie?
Not at all. I’ve known Bill for years. He’s 20 years older than me, has a beard and is more of an ex-hippy than an ex-punk rocker, but we both have the same passion. Bill’s a lot more birdy than me, as I dip my nose into a few other creatures. But, there are lots of parallels between us. Neither of us pull punches and we aren't afraid to say what we think. I hope in many ways, people will see me as a younger version of Bill.
Not at all. I’ve known Bill for years. He’s 20 years older than me, has a beard and is more of an ex-hippy than an ex-punk rocker, but we both have the same passion. Bill’s a lot more birdy than me, as I dip my nose into a few other creatures. But, there are lots of parallels between us. Neither of us pull punches and we aren't afraid to say what we think. I hope in many ways, people will see me as a younger version of Bill.
How did you first discover your love of the countryside?
My parents say that as soon as I was crawling I was popping ladybirds into matchboxes and tadpoles into jam-jars. As soon as I could crawl around the garden, I apparently had an affinity for living things. Then, for my first birthday, my grandmother gave me two bird books. I’ve still got them, but I don’t have to even open them to recall the pictures. The birds look so exotic and were all in different habitats that were unimaginable to me in my suburban Southampton home. By the time I was four or five I was obsessed. I would try to capture animals to take them home. It was downhill from there.
My parents say that as soon as I was crawling I was popping ladybirds into matchboxes and tadpoles into jam-jars. As soon as I could crawl around the garden, I apparently had an affinity for living things. Then, for my first birthday, my grandmother gave me two bird books. I’ve still got them, but I don’t have to even open them to recall the pictures. The birds look so exotic and were all in different habitats that were unimaginable to me in my suburban Southampton home. By the time I was four or five I was obsessed. I would try to capture animals to take them home. It was downhill from there.
What did your mum and dad have to say about you bringing wildlife into the house?
I was very lucky. When I was quite small I started a skull collection, and thankfully they didn’t squirm too much. I enjoyed great freedom and as soon as I got home from school I was off out until it was dark. I admit I wasn’t very sociable as a kid so was happy to go off on my own for six hours or so searching out birds' nests.
I was very lucky. When I was quite small I started a skull collection, and thankfully they didn’t squirm too much. I enjoyed great freedom and as soon as I got home from school I was off out until it was dark. I admit I wasn’t very sociable as a kid so was happy to go off on my own for six hours or so searching out birds' nests.
Why do you think Springwatch has been such a success?
Some people say that Springwatch is the ultimate armchair nature lover's programme, but I think that’s because people are watching things that are probably going on in their own garden but they don’t have the technology to watch in the real world. I love the idea that you’re watching girl-next-door wildlife. If it was rare, exotic stuff, the uber-geeks would be delighted, but most people would be disconnected from it.
Some people say that Springwatch is the ultimate armchair nature lover's programme, but I think that’s because people are watching things that are probably going on in their own garden but they don’t have the technology to watch in the real world. I love the idea that you’re watching girl-next-door wildlife. If it was rare, exotic stuff, the uber-geeks would be delighted, but most people would be disconnected from it.
So, it’s the familiarity that is the key…
Exactly. You’ve got Simon King pursuing polecats if you want what some people would say is the sexier stuff, but the girl-next-door wildlife is where the drama is. Why does big romance have to happen in the snows of Siberia or the streets of San Francisco? Hearts are won and broken in the supermarket round the corner from you and likewise we need to bring nature down to earth, making all the emotion accessible to the audience at home.
Exactly. You’ve got Simon King pursuing polecats if you want what some people would say is the sexier stuff, but the girl-next-door wildlife is where the drama is. Why does big romance have to happen in the snows of Siberia or the streets of San Francisco? Hearts are won and broken in the supermarket round the corner from you and likewise we need to bring nature down to earth, making all the emotion accessible to the audience at home.
You say that you’re less of a birder than Bill, but we’re guessing birds will still play a big part in Springwatch...
Definitely. The great thing about birds is that you can turn off the telly, look out the window and there they are. People don’t get into beetles or dragonflies or mammals because they think it’s the exclusive preserve of geeky naturalists, scientists or film makers. Birds, however, are on our doorstep.
Definitely. The great thing about birds is that you can turn off the telly, look out the window and there they are. People don’t get into beetles or dragonflies or mammals because they think it’s the exclusive preserve of geeky naturalists, scientists or film makers. Birds, however, are on our doorstep.
And once they’ve mastered the birds in their garden, they can head down to the nature reserve…
That’s the hope, although it is intimidating for some people. They’re worried they will be embarrassed by their lack of knowledge. The trouble is that there are birders out there who are snobs that scoff and sneer when newbies or children come into hides. Whenever I meet them I put them in their place. Before Christmas I was in a hide where a bloke was really miffed that a bunch of kids came into what he considered to be his hide. They weren’t being noisy, but they weren’t being quiet either. I said to him: "Get a grip. I’d rather those kids were in there than you frankly. You go somewhere else, as this could be their first taste of birding."
That’s the hope, although it is intimidating for some people. They’re worried they will be embarrassed by their lack of knowledge. The trouble is that there are birders out there who are snobs that scoff and sneer when newbies or children come into hides. Whenever I meet them I put them in their place. Before Christmas I was in a hide where a bloke was really miffed that a bunch of kids came into what he considered to be his hide. They weren’t being noisy, but they weren’t being quiet either. I said to him: "Get a grip. I’d rather those kids were in there than you frankly. You go somewhere else, as this could be their first taste of birding."
With Springwatch you’ve got the added element that it’s live…
I love the fact that it's live, the excitement it brings you. It’s the unknown; you’re watching something and the next day it dies. That uncertainty is its allure.
I love the fact that it's live, the excitement it brings you. It’s the unknown; you’re watching something and the next day it dies. That uncertainty is its allure.
Do you worry that the realities of life and death in nature will upset viewers?
I hope it does. We don’t talk about death in this country, therefore we don’t deal with it well. It’s especially important for kids. They need to know about how the world works and what part predation plays in that. Today, most children don’t even realise the meat on their plate comes from an animal. Even if they do realise that beef comes from a cow, they don’t know how it's bred, reared and slaughtered. If they did they would respect our farmers a lot more. Nature is full of blood and gore. It’s reality. It’s life.
I want Springwatch to give people the real picture of real wildlife in real time. A lot of that time, of course, nothing will happen. Then there will be a sudden spurt of activity. Suddenly something is born or something dies. I want them to respond to it as if they were there, watching it live, not seeing nature packaged neatly into half an hour.
I hope it does. We don’t talk about death in this country, therefore we don’t deal with it well. It’s especially important for kids. They need to know about how the world works and what part predation plays in that. Today, most children don’t even realise the meat on their plate comes from an animal. Even if they do realise that beef comes from a cow, they don’t know how it's bred, reared and slaughtered. If they did they would respect our farmers a lot more. Nature is full of blood and gore. It’s reality. It’s life.
I want Springwatch to give people the real picture of real wildlife in real time. A lot of that time, of course, nothing will happen. Then there will be a sudden spurt of activity. Suddenly something is born or something dies. I want them to respond to it as if they were there, watching it live, not seeing nature packaged neatly into half an hour.
Springwatch begins on Monday 25 May at 8pm and runs nightly (except Fridays) until Thursday 11 June. To find out more visit www.bbc.co.uk/springwatch.
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