Steve Backshall can be spotted on many nature and wildlife programmes across the BBC, but what is his background – and how did he make his way onto our screens?
Who is Steve Backshall?
Steve Backshall is a British naturalist, TV presenter writer and explorer, who is best known for his BBC TV series including the Deadly... franchise of shows. As part of this series, he dived with sharks, caught snakes, escaped polar bears, and searched for anacondas.
He has been involved with other BBC shows including Lost Land of the Tiger, Lost Land of the Volcano, Deadly Dinosaurs and Lost Land of the Jaguar. He has appeared on Springwatch on an ad hoc basis over the years, and has featured alongside Liz Bonnin and Matt Baker on the three-part series Wild Alaska Live and Chis Packham on Blue Planet Live.
He has published a series of four children's novels called The Falcon Chronicles, as well as several other books for children and adults.
He cut his teeth on the BBC's The Really Wild Show, before he then joined the BBC Natural History Unit's expedition team.
Sporting prowess
Away from the world of wildlife TV, Backshall is a rock climber and mountaineer, and has a keen interest in endurance sports, such as marathon running, and adventure races. He is also passionate about ice-climbing, kayaking and cycling. No surprise then that he's a Gold Blue Peter badge holder!
He also has a black belt in judo.
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Where is he from?
Raised on a smallholding in Bagshot, Surrey, Backshall grew up surrounded by rescue animals, fostering a passion for wildlife and the countryside.
Who is Steve Backshall married to?
He is married to the British Gold medal-winning rower Helen Glover, who he met when doing Sport Relief in 2014.
The pair married at Prussia Cove, Cornwall, in 2016. They have three children together, including one set of twins. Their children all have names that relate to Cornwall, as Glover was born there.
Find out more
Check out our guides to other favourite TV presenters, including Chris Packham, Matt Baker, Helen Skelton, Iolo Williams, Megan McCubbin, Anita Rani and Gillian Burke.
