Nick Baker
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Rowan Baker is an English
naturalist
and television presenter, notably on Children's BBC
's The Really Wild Show
. He has recently finished filming Nick Baker's Weird Creatures.
in 1993 with a degree in biological sciences, but was a keen naturalist from an early age. He co-founded Exeter University's national Bug Club and was a member of the Royal Entomological Society
's Youth Development Committee.
As a field naturalist
, he has researched the High Brown Fritillary
butterfly on Dartmoor
and worked with badgers, also in Devon
.
, Baker attempted to get under the skin of animals such as grizzly bears, penguins, rattlesnakes and rhinos - examining their habitats and behaviour in his own way.
In 1999 Baker worked on two science series. He presented Twister and joined the presenting team of the science series, Tomorrow's World
. Other ventures have included co-presenting BBC Two
's Watch Out with Simon King.
Nick Baker's Weird Creatures was frequently ridiculed on Harry Hill's TV burp
. Selections of the show were shown featuring Nick Baker performing poorly, or where a mundane or disappointing animal is featured. This included one episode where Nick went to find a basking shark off the coast of Cornwall, but instead found only otters, seagulls and a dog. After the last of the episodes had been shown Nick Baker appeared on TV Burp and called Hill a 'cheeky git', after throwing a custard pie
in Harry's face at the end of a musical number.
's The Natural History Programme and writes for many publications including the BBC Wildlife
Magazine, Wildlife Watch, RSPB's Bird and Birdlife magazines, the Young Telegraph, the Bug Club magazine, Wild About Animals and FBX magazine.
productions and has worked for National Geographic.
Baker lives in Chagford on Dartmoor along with a growing menagerie of small animals including spiders, scorpions, stick insects, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and moths. He keeps pet leeches in the fridge at home and often feeds them by attaching them to his leg. Among his favourites are cane toads and a collection of hissing cockroaches.
Baker's talents are not limited to natural history. He cycles competitively, and who learned to play the harmonica when he was in school, who also is a percussionist and singer, and he regularly performs in jazz and blues bands.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and television presenter, notably on Children's 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...
's The Really Wild Show
The Really Wild Show
The Really Wild Show was a long-running British television show about wildlife, broadcast by the BBC as part of their CBBC service to children. It also runs on Animal Planet in the USA.The show was broadcast continuously since January 21, 1986...
. He has recently finished filming Nick Baker's Weird Creatures.
Early life
Baker graduated from the University of ExeterUniversity of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
in 1993 with a degree in biological sciences, but was a keen naturalist from an early age. He co-founded Exeter University's national Bug Club and was a member of the Royal Entomological Society
Royal Entomological Society of London
The Royal Entomological Society of London is devoted to insect study. It has a major national and international role in disseminating information about insects and improving communication between entomologists....
's Youth Development Committee.
As a field naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, he has researched the High Brown Fritillary
High Brown Fritillary
The High Brown Fritillary is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family, native from Europe across mainland Asia to Japan.The adults fly in July/August and lay eggs near to the larval food plants which are species of violets,...
butterfly on Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
and worked with badgers, also in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
BBC
In Nick Baker's Under The Skin on BBC TwoBBC 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...
, Baker attempted to get under the skin of animals such as grizzly bears, penguins, rattlesnakes and rhinos - examining their habitats and behaviour in his own way.
In 1999 Baker worked on two science series. He presented Twister and joined the presenting team of the science series, 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 :...
. Other ventures have included co-presenting 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...
's Watch Out with Simon King.
Nick Baker's Weird Creatures was frequently ridiculed on Harry Hill's TV burp
Harry Hill's TV Burp
Harry Hill's TV Burp is a British television comedy programme produced by Avalon Television for ITV and hosted by comedian Harry Hill. The show presents a satirical look at the week's television, including extracts from TV shows with added sketches, observational voice-overs, and guest appearances...
. Selections of the show were shown featuring Nick Baker performing poorly, or where a mundane or disappointing animal is featured. This included one episode where Nick went to find a basking shark off the coast of Cornwall, but instead found only otters, seagulls and a dog. After the last of the episodes had been shown Nick Baker appeared on TV Burp and called Hill a 'cheeky git', after throwing a custard pie
Custard pie
A custard pie is any type of uncooked custard mixture added to an uncooked or partially cooked crust and baked together. In North America, custard pie commonly refers to a plain mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and sometimes nutmeg combined with a pie crust...
in Harry's face at the end of a musical number.
Radio
Baker is a regular contributor to Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's The Natural History Programme and writes for many publications including the BBC Wildlife
BBC Wildlife
BBC Wildlife is a British glossy, all-colour, monthly magazine about wildlife, founded by BBC Worldwide and published through the BBC Magazines Bristol division, also trading as Bristol Magazines Ltd....
Magazine, Wildlife Watch, RSPB's Bird and Birdlife magazines, the Young Telegraph, the Bug Club magazine, Wild About Animals and FBX magazine.
Publications
Baker wrote Baker's Bug Book and the Natural History Almanac for the UK. He has also been involved in Five and Discovery ChannelDiscovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
productions and has worked for National Geographic.
Education
He regularly tours schools with his animals to educate school children and often works with the RSPB.Baker lives in Chagford on Dartmoor along with a growing menagerie of small animals including spiders, scorpions, stick insects, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and moths. He keeps pet leeches in the fridge at home and often feeds them by attaching them to his leg. Among his favourites are cane toads and a collection of hissing cockroaches.
Baker's talents are not limited to natural history. He cycles competitively, and who learned to play the harmonica when he was in school, who also is a percussionist and singer, and he regularly performs in jazz and blues bands.