Greg Foot
Encyclopedia
Greg Foot is a British
science
presenter
. He has most recently been seen presenting Secrets Of The Universe for BBC Three
where he uses science stunts - like making Big Ben chime 13 times, playing the guitar at 60mph, surfing a tidal wave, and microwaving ants - to tell the 13.7 billion year history of the universe.
. He read Natural Sciences at King’s College
at Cambridge University, gaining a first class BA Hons degree, and then an MSc in Science Media Production from Imperial College London
.
During his summer holidays he was an outdoor pursuits instructor at Lakeside YMCA and a high wire rope instructor at Go Ape!. Foot is now an avid surfer and snowboarder.
on BBC One
making such crazy inventions as an underwater canoe, hover-board, robotic horse and a jet engine bed driven by The Stig
.
During 2008 Foot appeared performing explosive experiments on Richard & Judy
and was an on-screen expert for Channel 4
’s award-winning Routes Game (supported by the Wellcome Trust
) where he also gave a lecture in Cambridge to tie in with the fictional Alternate Reality Game
.
In 2009, Foot was the Science & Tech expert on the BBC Two
'quiz without questions' Knowitalls
hosted by Gyles Brandreth
.
Earlier this year Foot lay himself on the line to persuade Gavin Henson
to take a direct hit from 750,000 volts of electricity
on How To Kill A Celeb on Bravo.
"Daredevil scientist Greg Foot, a science junkie renowned for pushing the boundaries of extreme experiments, will demonstrate the very real jeopardy, pain and danger using a variety of methods and demonstrations that would make even the bravest volunteer think twice.
Greg has just one hour to convince Gavin to make this possible life changing decision and place his life solely in the hand of science by showing Gavin an array of jaw dropping stunts showing the extreme damage that electricity really can do. Unsure, and with obvious trepidation, Gavin mulls over the challenge, and what his final decision will be.
Foot is currently presenter on the BBC Three
science show Secrets Of The Universe that sees him performing a whole range of science stunts to tell the 13.7 billion year history of the universe:
"Greg Foot buckles up for a 13.7 billion year trip through time, to answer the biggest question of them all - where do we come from?
But the last thing you'll find in this programme is a particle accelerator. All Greg needs is the stuff that's lying around. So, you want to prove the Big Bang really happened? Easy - it can all be done by playing guitar at 60 mph and blowing up a watermelon in super slow-motion.
What about calculating the speed of light? By microwaving ants on full power, of course."
Whether Greg is squeezing a car into suitcase or making Big Ben strike 13 o'clock - this is the story of how we all got here, as you've never seen it before.
"Avid adventurers and science junkies Huw James and Greg Foot get your blood pumping in an hour of adrenaline-filled extreme sports action. With plenty of demos and audience participation, surf a huge wave in Hawaii, jump building to building, cycle through a spectacular alpine pass and hurtle toward earth in freefall... all before tea time!"
The Science Junkie Live Show launched to a sold out audience at Cheltenham Science Festival
2010 before travelling to Wrexham Science Festival, Green Man Music Festival and Manchester Science Festival. They are also lined up for more science, music, and extreme sports festivals including Cambridge Science Festival, the Royal Institution
and X In The City.
Foot has also appeared on Naked Scientists and The Big Toe Radio Show
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. He has most recently been seen presenting Secrets Of The Universe for BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
where he uses science stunts - like making Big Ben chime 13 times, playing the guitar at 60mph, surfing a tidal wave, and microwaving ants - to tell the 13.7 billion year history of the universe.
Biography
Foot was born in Bradford, lived in Suffolk until he was 8, and spent the next 10 years in the Lake DistrictLake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. He read Natural Sciences at King’s College
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
at Cambridge University, gaining a first class BA Hons degree, and then an MSc in Science Media Production from Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
.
During his summer holidays he was an outdoor pursuits instructor at Lakeside YMCA and a high wire rope instructor at Go Ape!. Foot is now an avid surfer and snowboarder.
TV career
Foot's first television appearance was in 2007 presenting the children’s science/invention series Whizz Whizz Bang BangWhizz Whizz Bang Bang
Whizz Whizz Bang Bang is a BBC television series that started 5 March 2007. The show is presented by Greg Foot. It features a different child in each programme who has an invention idea and then the team, with the help of Ralph, tries to build it. Most attempts have been successful, although all...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
making such crazy inventions as an underwater canoe, hover-board, robotic horse and a jet engine bed driven by The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
.
During 2008 Foot appeared performing explosive experiments on Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
and was an on-screen expert for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
’s award-winning Routes Game (supported by the Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
) where he also gave a lecture in Cambridge to tie in with the fictional Alternate Reality Game
Alternate reality game
An alternate reality game is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions....
.
In 2009, Foot was the Science & Tech expert on the BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
'quiz without questions' Knowitalls
Knowitalls
Knowitalls was a British quiz show hosted by Gyles Brandreth. It was first shown on BBC Two in 2009.Filming took place between 15 and 21 June 2009. It was first broadcast on July 27, 2009. The show's strapline is that it's "the quiz without questions"...
hosted by Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Daubeney Brandreth is a British writer, broadcaster and former Conservative Member of Parliament and junior minister.-Early life:...
.
Earlier this year Foot lay himself on the line to persuade Gavin Henson
Gavin Henson
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh rugby union player, born in Pencoed, South Wales, currently playing for Cardiff Blues.He attracted much media attention as part of a Wales national team which achieved Grand Slams in the Six Nations Championship in 2005 and 2008...
to take a direct hit from 750,000 volts of electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
on How To Kill A Celeb on Bravo.
"Daredevil scientist Greg Foot, a science junkie renowned for pushing the boundaries of extreme experiments, will demonstrate the very real jeopardy, pain and danger using a variety of methods and demonstrations that would make even the bravest volunteer think twice.
Greg has just one hour to convince Gavin to make this possible life changing decision and place his life solely in the hand of science by showing Gavin an array of jaw dropping stunts showing the extreme damage that electricity really can do. Unsure, and with obvious trepidation, Gavin mulls over the challenge, and what his final decision will be.
Foot is currently presenter on the BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
science show Secrets Of The Universe that sees him performing a whole range of science stunts to tell the 13.7 billion year history of the universe:
"Greg Foot buckles up for a 13.7 billion year trip through time, to answer the biggest question of them all - where do we come from?
But the last thing you'll find in this programme is a particle accelerator. All Greg needs is the stuff that's lying around. So, you want to prove the Big Bang really happened? Easy - it can all be done by playing guitar at 60 mph and blowing up a watermelon in super slow-motion.
What about calculating the speed of light? By microwaving ants on full power, of course."
Whether Greg is squeezing a car into suitcase or making Big Ben strike 13 o'clock - this is the story of how we all got here, as you've never seen it before.
Live Show
Foot co-presents the Science Junkie Live Show – a new adrenaline-fueled extreme science live show that uncovers the science of extreme sports."Avid adventurers and science junkies Huw James and Greg Foot get your blood pumping in an hour of adrenaline-filled extreme sports action. With plenty of demos and audience participation, surf a huge wave in Hawaii, jump building to building, cycle through a spectacular alpine pass and hurtle toward earth in freefall... all before tea time!"
The Science Junkie Live Show launched to a sold out audience at Cheltenham Science Festival
Cheltenham Science Festival
The Cheltenham Science Festival is one of the UK's leading science festivals, and is part of Cheltenham Festivals: also responsible for the Jazz, Music and Literature Festivals that run every year.-Introduction and History:...
2010 before travelling to Wrexham Science Festival, Green Man Music Festival and Manchester Science Festival. They are also lined up for more science, music, and extreme sports festivals including Cambridge Science Festival, the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
and X In The City.
Radio career
Foot currently co-presents a science podcast called Droppin' Science that "give[s] you the latest from the world of science in this cool new pod packed full of quirky news and sweet features."Foot has also appeared on Naked Scientists and The Big Toe Radio Show
The Big Toe Radio Show
The Big Toe Radio Show was a daily show for children on the DAB radio station BBC 7 at breakfast time and from 4-6pm. It was aimed at children aged nine to eleven. It featured music, games, stories read from well-known books such as those by Roald Dahl and fun...
.