Steve Backshall Makes Wildlife 'Cool' for Kids

Wildlife presenter Steve Backshall has cracked the code for getting kids excited about nature: make it cool, not a lecture.

The host of the popular show Deadly 60 believes children need exposure to the natural world now more than ever. His mission is simple: get as many young people as possible interested in wildlife by focusing on the most thrilling creatures on Earth.

Backshall grew up in Surrey in a house filled with rescue animals after his parents took on a smallholding in their 30s. He calls it a "crazy version" of the TV sitcom The Good Life, where his family made everything up as they went along with their menagerie of animals.

That chaotic, animal-filled childhood sparked a passion that shaped his entire career. After studying venoms from amphibians at Canterbury Christ Church University, he turned his love of dangerous creatures into a way to inspire the next generation.

His strategy is deliberately focused on the animals that captivate everyone: sharks, crocodiles, snakes, spiders, big cats, and birds of prey. These formidable predators naturally fascinate kids, whether they think they like wildlife or not.

Backshall acknowledges that childhood has changed dramatically since his own youth. Scientific evidence supports what he feels strongly about: old-fashioned childhoods spent outdoors offered significant health benefits that many kids miss today.

The benefits of being outside, staying active, and connecting with animals are enormous. But Backshall knows preaching about these advantages won't work with young audiences.

Why This Inspires

What makes Backshall's work so meaningful is seeing tangible results. Thousands of kids now have a genuine passion for natural history because someone made it exciting for them first.

His approach proves that inspiring the next generation of conservationists doesn't require doom and gloom messaging. By leading with adventure and wonder instead of worry, he's opening doors to environmental awareness that might otherwise stay closed.

Backshall even jokes that some viewers might tune in hoping to see him get savaged by a dangerous animal. Whatever gets them watching and learning works for him.

His Deadly Live show continues bringing these thrilling wildlife experiences to young audiences across the UK. One childhood filled with rescue animals has sparked thousands more connections between kids and the natural world.