Getting ‘deadly’ serious with Steve Backshall
Naturalist and thinking mum’s pin-up Steve Backshall on his charmed life and what drives him to travel to far-flung places
In family homes across the UK, Steve Backshall is a household name. His show, Deadly 60, is required viewing for the under-10s. His infectious enthusiasm, daring encounters with dangerous beasts and penchant for taking his shirt off has made him a hit both in the playground and with the mothers on the PTA.
There’s no denying Steve Backshall has paid his dues. He spent his early 20s researching and writing the Rough Guide to Indonesia. He has led some of the most successful filmed expeditions in recent years. Lost Land of the Volcano took him to a remote volcanic caldera in New Guinea. Lost Land of the Jaguar saw him descend to the bottom of the Kaieteur Falls in Guyana. And the Emmy-nominated Expedition Borneo took him deep into one of the world’s last great wildernesses.
When I call him at his home in rural England he is recovering from an operation on his ankle, an attempt to solve a recurring problem from a rock climbing accident that saw him break his back. We had been scheduled to meet in London the week before, but complications with the operation had seen the interview postponed.
Steve is as chirpy and enthusiastic as he is on TV and has to break our conversation to usher out a duck that has wandered into his home. After a few crashes and clunks and the sounds of gentle persuasion he is back on the phone.
“Sorry about that,” he says with a laugh. “Sometimes they forget who is supposed to live where!”
From the outside looking in it seems like you’ve had a pretty charmed life – you decide to do something and it happens. But reading Looking For Adventure, it’s pretty obvious that you’ve worked really hard at it. For example, you put yourself through the Open University to improve your knowledge about wildlife and conservation.
It’s true. People are always coming up to me and saying, “You’re so lucky to have all this happen to you. I’d love to do what you do!” It’s very tempting to say “It’s not luck, I’ve worked my guts out and sacrificed pretty much everything in my life.”
But this lifestyle is what I want and what I’ve always wanted. To be living a life outdoors, in adventure, you have to be totally, totally committed, especially in the media business. Unless you’re prepared to sacrifice everything you’re not going to get anywhere.
