Young people are inspiring adults to do more and making us feel ashamed for not taking better care of our planet
THEY did a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London and the public asked for more and said ‘why not take it out on tour and bring it to more venues’. I didn’t have to be asked twice when it came to presenting it. The music and the energy of the filming just do their magic. I’m so excited.
I’m selfishly doing it for my own experience. I think it’s going to be wonderful. It’s an extension of the BBC series and incredibly special. It pulls at the heartstrings. I’m looking forward to the big arenas and working with lots of people.
Science and natural history expert Liz Bonnin is going wild for the Planet Earth II arena tour. She tells why we need to look after our world
The TV series includes some London and by my final exam the Young people are inspiring adults absolutely breathtaking sequences BBC were looking for new to do more and making us feel
– who can ever forget the marine presenters and that was my first big ashamed for not taking better care iguana fighting for its life as it break. One job led to another and of our planet. escaped those racer snakes? It will another and another and soon I was They are showing that one human certainly be an experience to dealing with subjects that explained being can make a difference, they remember. the natural world. are changing habits and showing how doing one little thing can make a difference.
I did a BBC 1 documentary, Drowning In Plastic, investigating the ocean plastic crisis and have done a follow up.
I went to Brazil to look at deforestation caused by cattle ranching and went to America to look at intensive farming. They are global stories that effect us all. It’s been a real eye-opener.
GROWING up in the south of France, my sister and I were always outdoors. We had little woods with hedgehogs, snakes and spiders and that was our childhood. I also have family in the Caribbean and there was scuba diving and camel races. Nature worked its magic on me at an early stage and that was it.
Plonk anyone in the middle of nature and they can become enthused. I wanted to know everything worked – birds’ heartbeats, biochemistry, everything – it became my passion.
You’ve presented more that 40 programmes from Blue Planet Live to Super Smart Animals. How much of your time is spent in front of the TV cameras?
THE last two years I decided not to be on the road as much. I was flying a lot for work and I donated to conservation projects every time I flew, but I finally decided not to travel so much. I felt kind of burned out after a few years working non-stop. Now I do talks, festivals and schools. I’m enjoying life, giving talks and connecting with people. For me, I feel my job is to encourage boys and girls and inspire them.
I’M not a morning person and I used to hate coffee but when I had to be up at 3am on location I couldn’t put two words together. I started off having mocha and sugar then latte and sugar and now I’m happy with black coffee ... really good black coffee. (Laughs) I only have one a day, but it does make a difference.
JASON Byrne, right, is back for more comedy chaos – and celebrating 25 years of consecutive touring – with his new stand-up show Audience Precipitation.
The 31-date tour kicks off on September 24 and Jason forecasts a laugh-out loud show with a light drizzle of audience participation.
TOUR GROWS FOR FRANK
COMEDY favourite Frank Skinner, right, has added more shows to his nationwide Showbiz tour.
He says: “The more people like this show the more I want to do it. There were some places I didn’t do on tour and some I did do that sold out extremely quickly. So now I’m refreshed, refuelled and raring to get back out there.”