‘Every show needs refreshing’ says BBC star as they hint at departure from hit nature series after two decades
ANIMAL PARK star Kate Humble has revealed her exit from a major show came after realising she ‘wasn’t scared anymore’.
The presenter, 55, primarily works for the BBC specialising in wildlife and science programmes.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun’s TV Mag, Kate discussed her time presenting Springwatch – and why she ultimately left.
She said: “I did Springwatch in its very early iterations.
“Then when it became Springwatch, I did it for 10 years.
“I was very, very sad when the realisation hit me that I thought you know what, I think I need to go now because it wasn’t scaring me anymore.
“We all know that we need to be kept on our toes.
“But also, you know, every programme however good it is and however successful it needs refreshing it.”
Kate made her first appearance on Animal Park back in 2001.
With over two decades under her belt, fans may wonder if Kate will take the same approach to this show as she did with her time on Springwatch.
However, they don’t need to worry, as she discussed how newer additions Megan McCubbin and Hamza Yassin have impacted the show since joining, bringing a new perspective to proceedings.
She added: “The lovely thing about as I say Hamza and Megan coming is they bring a new energy.
“They’ll see the park from a slightly different perspective than us old farts who’ve been sort of trotting there every year.
“I know it sounds a bit twee. It feels like a family reunion.
“But even though we don’t necessarily crossover when we’re at the park, we all kind of manage to hook up with each other at some point during the year.
“And it’s just a lovely thing to be involved in.”
It comes as Kate recently shared that she is preparing to be axed as the television industry hits crisis point.
She said: “When I first started doing Springwatch, four million people would watch it, and now it might be a million – and that’s not a reflection of the programme – that’s a reflection of the way that people watch TV now.
BBC's best nature shows
The BBC has a wide range of wildlife shows - and here is a selection of some of the best.
- Springwatch
- Autumnwatch
- Planet Earth
- Animal Park
- The Green Planet
- Dynasties
- Hive Alive
“The bottom line is people aren’t really watching TV, or they’re not watching us in the same way, and so the industry is having to adapt very, very quickly.
“And it does mean that, at the moment, as we go through this shift – less programmes are being commissioned – there’s less advertising revenue for the mainstream channels and promotional channels.
“So, you know, I would be mad to sit here thinking I’m going to see out my career on television and just sit and hope – it’s not gonna happen.”
Animal Park is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
