‘Becoming a dad showed me the meaning of life’
Explorer Steve Backshall has been all over the world, but home is where his heart really is
Steve Backshall is the adventurer, naturalist and presenter who has travelled to the most remote corners of the Earth. He’s discovered 40,000-year-old cave paintings in Borneo, dodged hungry polar bears in Greenland and scaled sheer-sided mountains in Venezuela
– all with his unswerving enthusiasm.
But for his latest documentary series, Channel 5’s Wild Animal Rescue, Steve is sticking firmly to our own shores to explore the creatures our country boasts and reveal the threats they are facing in our current world.
Though there’s another reason for Steve, 46, staying native – his family. He married Olympic champion rower Helen Glover back in 2016, and two years later welcomed a baby boy, Logan. The couple have just also welcomed twins, a boy and a girl. So, when Steve sits down to chat to us, he’s excited about his future – though a little less so about the future of the planet…
Tell us about your new show, Wild Animal Rescue…
It is all about showcasing British wildlife, from the familiar to the unusual.The series takes a look at everyday heroes doing their bit to protect species across Britain. What particularly made me want to get involved with this series is that it focuses on the creatures in our own backyard. I think it’s very valuable for us all to connect with and be aware of the positive impact that we can have on our own doorsteps.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learnt?
The return of pine martens to England is a huge story. They’ve been in Scotland for many years now, and are returning to England. I think that that’s mostly down to the fact that the pressures put on them are decreasing and they’re therefore doing better now than they have in the past.
You’re an adventurer, but would you describe yourself as fearless?
No! I don’t think anybody in my line of work should be fearless, and if you were you wouldn’t last for long. The most important things are experience, confidence and the knowledge of what things are actually dangerous and what things seem incredibly risky but are relatively safe.
What are you most scared of?
My main fear is seeing so many of the different environments and species that I have spent my whole life being excited by disappear. It terrifies me that they might not be around for my children to see.
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever done?
I’ve just got back from filming with orca whales way up in the Arctic Circle! Filming side by side with them underwater is something I’ve been trying to make work for 15 years. It was incredible.
How about the toughest?
Possibly my first-ever descent of a whitewater river in Bhutan in the Himalayas.
I got into some trouble and I had my life saved by one of my copaddlers. She pulled me out and I most certainly would have drowned without her there.
What else is on your bucket list?
I think the natural world is so big that there will always be grand plans, but at the moment, I’m enjoying being a dad.
Is it more difficult to be away from home now because you’re a father?
It’s much harder now – I suffer from homesickness like I never have before. I value time with the family like gold dust.
Does it make you want to take less risks?
Yes, I think I’m far more cautious now. Inevitably you do think more about risks as there is much more to lose and protect.
How else have you changed?
I think more about our legacy and the kind of planet we are passing on to the next generation. It’s important to be making sure there is plenty of wonder left for our youngsters.
Life’s about to get even more hectic as you and Helen have just had twins. How are you feeling?
Super, super excited. I think becoming a dad really showed me what the meaning of life is and to a certain extent it’s made everything more meaningful.
What career did you have in mind when you were a kid?
I wanted to work as a guide in an African nature reserve. Going on my first safari with my mum and dad and finding out about the people that led it was amazing. They were the most exciting people
I’ve ever met and the experience stuck with me.
How do you spend your time off?
‘I’m far more cautious now. There’s much more to lose and protect’
In exactly the same way as I do on screen – going out looking for birds and kayaking with Helen.