Kate Humble
Encyclopedia
Katherine 'Kate' Humble (born 12 December 1968) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 television presenter, mainly for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

, specialising in wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....

 and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...

 programmes. She is also the current President of the RSPB, and princess of Ternate
Ternate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....

.

Early life and education

Born in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...

 to Nick Humble and Diana Carter, she grew up in Bray
Bray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...

 in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

 and attended the Abbey School
The Abbey School
The Abbey School is an independent selective day school for girls, in Reading, Berkshire, England. The school has Church of England traditions, although it accepts girls of all faiths...

 in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

.
After leaving school she travelled through Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 from Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

 to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...

, doing various jobs including waitressing, driving safari trucks and working on a crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...

 farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...

. She has returned to Africa many times since. In 1994 she travelled around Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

, the subject of her first article for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...

 travel section. Since then she has written articles about diving and cycling in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

, an 'exploding' lake in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

, and hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...

 conservation work in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

.

Career

In 1990 Humble appeared for the first time as an actress in a TV production The Secret Life of Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...

 — and was credited as "Lauren Heston .... The redhead".

Humble started her television career as a researcher, later transferring to presenting programmes such as Top Gear, Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...

 and the 2001 series The Holiday Programme - You call the shots where the team travelled the world doing whatever viewers recommended using the then-novel media of text messaging and emailing the team as they travelled.

Humble has specialised in presenting wildlife programmes, including Animal Park
Animal Park
Animal Park was a television documentary about the life of keepers and animals at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire, England, aired over 9 series on the BBC from 2000 until 2009. It also covered the daily life of workers in Longleat House, the estate and the gardens.-Main series:Animal Park was...

, Springwatch with Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie
William "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies....

, Autumnwatch, Wild in Africa and SeaWatch.

From 2000 to 2005 she presented a BBC series called Rough Science
Rough Science
Rough Science is a British documentary reality television series made by the BBC in collaboration with the Open University. Six series were made between 2000 and 2005. It was broadcast in prime time on BBC Two and is considered something of a "break-out hit" for the Open University...

, in which a number of scientists were set various challenges to be solved using just basic tools and supplies.

Humble presented The Blue Planet Live! on the 2008 UK tour at Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...

, St. David's Hall in Cardiff and at Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Symphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue located inside the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, England. It was officially opened by the Queen in June 1991, although had been opened on April 15, 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and hosts around 270 events...

 in Birmingham.

Her BBC television series, The Hottest Place On Earth, is a record of a month spent living with the Afar people in Ethiopia's hostile Danakil Depression
Danakil Depression
The Danakil Depression is a desert basin which lies in the Danakil Desert in north-eastern Ethiopia and southern Eritrea. It belongs to the homeland of the Afar people. It lies up to 100 m below sea level as a result of tectonic activity caused by plate movements...

.

She occasionally performs on the lecture circuit with a show based on her experiences with wildlife, titled Harassed by Hippos and Battered by Cod: A Humble Way to Make a Living.

On 16 February 2009 she debuted in Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...

s Dictionary Corner.

She founded the web site Stuff Your Rucksack
Stuff Your Rucksack
The Stuff Your Rucksack Foundation, or simply Stuff Your Rucksack, is a not-for-profit organization helping to carry resources to charitable projects in need across the globe...

 that helps organisations around the world find the items they need by matching them with travellers.

On 29 July 2009 Humble was the subject for the programme Who Do You Think You Are? where she discovered that she had family connections to the Hartley Colliery Disaster
Hartley Colliery Disaster
The Hartley Colliery Disaster was a disastrous mining accident in Northumberland, England in 1862 in which 220 lives were lost. - Cause :In an age when methane or coal dust and firedamp explosions were common, the tragedy at Hartley Colliery, Northumberland, England was different because it was...

. Her paternal grandfather Bill Humble
Bill Humble
William Humble MBE was a well-known pre-Second World War aviator, known as an air racer and for his aerobatic displays, he was also an officer in the Royal Air Force Special Reserve, and the Auxiliary Air Force. Although he qualified as a mining engineer the lure of flying proved too strong, and...

 was a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....

 who tested the Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....

 and her maternal grandfather Stan Carter served as an officer in the RAF and after being shot down was held as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III at the time of "The Great Escape".

In August 2009 Humble presented a series of programmes for the BBC in which she makes a two thousand mile journey across the Middle East, following the ancient frankincense
Frankincense
Frankincense, also called olibanum , is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia sacra, B. carteri, B. thurifera, B. frereana, and B. bhaw-dajiana...

 trade route of Arabia which first connected the Arab world with the West. The series culminates in her presenting frankincense, that she has carried throughout the journey, to be used in a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

 service at the Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...

 in Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...

.

She was recently on holiday in the northeastern region of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 where there were no signs of conflict but where the Wakhi
Wakhi
Wakhi may be:* The Wakhi language, the language of the majority of the people of Wakhan* Wakhi, an ethnic group in Wakhan, Afghanistan* An adjective; of or relating to Wakhan, the extreme northeastern region of Afghanistan that borders China, Tajikistan, and Pakistan...

 locals were expected to be hostile. Instead, Humble found they were 'amongst the most astonishing, hospitable, warm, genuine people' she has ever met. They were also hard and tough, and Humble believes that 'if anyone thinks they are going to win a war against an Afghan they are insane!' She is writing about her experiences in Afghanistan for a forthcoming publication.

From 3–7 May 2010 she appeared as the dictionary corner guest on Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...

.

In February 2011 Humble presented a 3 part series of programmes, The Spice Trail
The Spice Trail
The Spice Trail was a TV series looking at the discovery and history of spices presented by Kate Humble, who travels around the world to see how spices are made and investigating their history. As she goes, she tells stories and interviews the people from the areas of their origin...

, on the trail of 6 of the world's most valuable spices revealing their history, trade, mythology and usage. Part 1 - Pepper & Cinnamon, Part 2 - Nutmeg & Cloves, Part 3 - Saffron & Vanilla.

Personal life

Humble is married to television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...

 Ludo Graham
Ludo Graham
Ludo Graham is a British television producer, who has produced such series as Paddington Green for BBC1, That'll Teach 'Em for Channel 4, and Al Murray's Road to Berlin for the Discovery Channel....

. They first met when she was aged 16, married in Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...

, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

, in 1992, when she was 23, and have recently moved from Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...

, West London to the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....

, where they have wanted to live for 'a very long time'. The couple both enjoy diving, and take an annual two-month holiday in different parts of the world, most often in Africa. The couple have no children, and Humble has stated in interviews that she has no desire to have children in the future. In an interview in 2007
Humble revealed her enjoyment of public nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...

:
On 3 October 2009 Humble was appointed President of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...

. She is an honorary graduate
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...

 of the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...

. Humble is a beekeeper and a member of the British Beekeepers Association.

Programmes

  • Holidays Out (1997)
  • Holiday (TV series)
    Holiday (TV series)
    Holiday was a long-running UK television programme on BBC One, and was the oldest travel review show on UK television. It was aired on the channel from 1969 until 2007.-Overview:...

     (1998–2000)
  • The Essential Guide to Rocks (1998)
  • Holiday: Fasten Your Seat Belt '98 (1998)
  • Top Gear Waterworld (1998)
  • Holiday Snaps (1999–2001)
  • Webwise (1999)
  • Top Gear (1999–2000)
  • Holiday on a Shoestring (2000–2001)
  • Esc@ape (2000)
  • Chef SOS (2000)
  • Shipwrecked
    Shipwrecked (TV series)
    Shipwrecked is a British reality television programme airing on Channel 4's youth programming brand, T4. The original version ran for 3 series from 9 January 2000 to 20 December 2001 and was constructed as a social experiment, without a competitive format or a prize.The programme returned for 4...

     (2000)
  • Countryfile
    Countryfile
    Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...

     (2000–2004)
  • Animal Park
    Animal Park
    Animal Park was a television documentary about the life of keepers and animals at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire, England, aired over 9 series on the BBC from 2000 until 2009. It also covered the daily life of workers in Longleat House, the estate and the gardens.-Main series:Animal Park was...

     (2000–present)
  • Rough Science
    Rough Science
    Rough Science is a British documentary reality television series made by the BBC in collaboration with the Open University. Six series were made between 2000 and 2005. It was broadcast in prime time on BBC Two and is considered something of a "break-out hit" for the Open University...

     (2000–2005)
  • Holiday: You Call The Shots (2001–2003)
  • Ever Wondered: Colour - Blissfully Blue (2001)
  • Ever Wondered: Extremes - Surviving Antarctica (2001)
  • Rolf's Amazing World of Animals (2001)
  • City Hospital
    City Hospital
    City Hospital was a medical drama series that aired on the CBS television network Tuesday nights from 1951 through 1953. The show starred Anne Burr as Dr. Kate Morrow and Mel Ruick as Dr. Barton Crane....

     (2001–2004)
  • Tomorrow's World
    Tomorrow's World
    Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...

     (2002)
  • The Abyss: Live (2002–2003)
  • Restoration (Series 1 final) (2003)

  • The Murder Game
    The Murder Game (TV series)
    The Murder Game was a British reality television series that aired on BBC One from March through May 2003. The show was based on the American FOX television show Murder in Small Town X. Though classified as a reality television series, it was more accurately a hybrid of reality TV, game show, and...

     (2003)
  • Wild In Your Garden
    Wild In Your Garden
    Wild In Your Garden was a live BBC television show, broadcast in 2003.Presenters Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King presented live action from a number of hidden cameras in or near nest boxes, badger setts and the like. Short, pre-filmed documentary pieces were also included...

     (2003)
  • Test Your Pet (2004)
  • Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie
    Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie
    Britain Goes Wild with Bill Oddie was a live BBC TV show, broadcast nightly, Monday – Thursday, from May 31, 2004 to June 17, 2004.Following on from the previous year's Wild In Your Garden, presenters Bill Oddie, Kate Humble and Simon King spent one hour each evening, describing wildlife and...

     (2004)
  • Amazon Abyss (2005)
  • Animal Park - Wild in Africa (2005–2006)
  • Springwatch (2005–2011)
  • Best of Springwatch with Bill Oddie (2005)
  • Autumnwatch (2006–2010)
  • Seawatch (TV series) (2006)
  • The One Show
    The One Show
    The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...

     (2006)
  • Springwatch Special (2006)
  • Climate Change: Britain Under Threat (2007)
  • Animal Park - Wild on the West Coast (2007)
  • Pacific Abyss
    Pacific Abyss
    Pacific Abyss is a three-part series on British television's , which first aired in Sunday 17 August 2008. It is hosted by Kate Humble, Mike Smart and Mike deGruy with filming beginning in April/May 2007....

     (2007)
  • Ultimate Caving (2007)
  • Britain's Lost World (2007)
  • One Man and His Dog
    One Man and His Dog
    One Man and His Dog is a television series in the United Kingdom featuring sheepdog trials, presented by Phil Drabble with commentary by Eric Halsall, and later by Ray Ollerenshaw, Robin Page, and Gus Dermody. At its peak, in the early 1980s, it attracted audiences in excess of eight million...

     (2008)
  • The Hottest Place on Earth (2008)
  • Who Do You Think You Are? (2009)
  • The Frankincense Trail (2009)
  • Lambing Live
    Lambing Live
    Lambing Live is a farming programme which was broadcast live on BBC Two in five parts, beginning on Sunday 7 March 2010. Presented by Kate Humble and Adam Henson, the show was mainly filmed live on the Beavan family farm, near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire and followed a week in the life of the...

     (2010–present)
  • Birds Britannia
    Birds Britannia
    Birds Britannia is a four-part BBC Four television series about the birds of the United Kingdom, first shown in 2010. It was produced by Stephen Moss....

     (2010)
  • The Spice Trail
    The Spice Trail
    The Spice Trail was a TV series looking at the discovery and history of spices presented by Kate Humble, who travels around the world to see how spices are made and investigating their history. As she goes, she tells stories and interviews the people from the areas of their origin...

     (2011)


External links

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