Heartfelt messages have been flooding in from colleagues and fans across social media
Lorraine Kelly has written a touching tribute to the late BBC broadcasting legend, Tony Soper. The former presenter who played an important role in forming the BBC’s Natural History Unit, passed away at the age of 95 on September 18.
Widely known for his work as a wildlife camera operator, producer, and host on popular series such as ‘Birdwatch’ and ‘Beside the Sea’, Tony leaves behind his loving family, including his wife Hilary, sons, and five grandchildren.
Heartfelt messages have been flooding in from colleagues and fans across social media, according to the Express. Natural history presenter Stephen Moss expressed his condolences: “Very sad news – Tony Soper, a huge influence on generations of birders and broadcasters, who I had the huge privilege of working with and getting to know, has died aged 95. The last person who was there at the start of the BBC Natural History Unit. A lovely man.”
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Sharing her own memories, Lorraine Kelly recalled: “On one of my very first shows presenting on TVam – this wonderful kind man came on to talk about his book on OWLS. He was a joy and a delight.”, reports the Mirror.
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Fans also recalled special memories. One fan wrote: “Sad news, one of my favourite shows growing up was Wildtrack, presented by Tony and Sue Ingle… I still remember the theme tune! ” While another reminisced, “Yes, he was always ‘the’ nature TV person when I was a child.”
Another fan offered their condolences saying: “Sad to hear this. He was one of the lovely wholesome folk I felt I knew through the telly of childhood. He’s had a powerful positive influence on so many of us. Let’s try to keep that enthusiasm and those values alive.”
Tony started his career as a ‘youth-in-training’ with the BBC at just 17, he quickly progressed to become a features producer in radio, later venturing into television as an unofficial assistant floor manager with the 1954 production Wild Geese in Winter. By 1956, he was producing Look, a live outside broadcast programme.
Tony was not just a producer, he co-founded the BBC’s esteemed Natural History Unit. The 1960s saw his rise as a presenter, most famously as the joint host of Animal Magic alongside Johnny Morris. He also hosted shows like Birdwatch, Birdspot, Discovering Birds, Discovering Animals, Beside the Sea, Wildtrack, and Nature.
Throughout his accomplished career, Tony didn’t just stay on-screen; he visited the Arctic and Antarctica and penned numerous books on the subject of natural history.