Iolo Williams reveals he has encountered a career first
Iolo Williams reveals he has encountered a career first
The Springwatch presenter has opened up about the 'career highlight' he experienced when filming his new series
Iolo Williams is hosting a new series called Iolo's River Valleys
(Image: BBC )
TV star Iolo Williams has revealed a career first as his new BBC series begins. Iolo is back on our screens for a new four-part series called Iolo's River Valleys which follows him as he explores the hidden stories and natural wonders of four river valleys across Wales.
In the series he'll be uncovering the incredible wildlife of the Rheidol Valley, the Dyfi Valley, the Conwy Valley and the Vale of Clwyd. Throughout the episodes, Iolo will be met with sightings of rare birds and elusive mammals. He even encounters a career first on his journey.
Ahead of the series' release, Iolo said that the biggest moment of the series was when he saw his "first ever wild beaver in Wales".
"This was a real highlight, not just of the series, but of my 27 years working within TV. A real highlight," Iolo said. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
"I wasn't actually expecting to see one. The researchers had done their work and they'd said there were rumours to be wild beaver, and I knew myself that there were rumours of wild beavers in one or two locations as well.
"We went out and we had a look one evening, and the weather wasn't great, we didn't see anything. But then we went out again when the rain had cleared up and sure enough there it was, this beaver, eating Japanese knotweed of all things.
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"I'll be honest, nobody knows where the beaver has come from, they've been there for about two years, possibly three and it's quite well known locally. But I'm absolutely delighted because this is an animal that we should have back in the wild."
Iolo said that spotting the beaver "topped everything" that happened in the series.
He added that he also "achieved a childhood ambition" by seeing a pine martin in daylight.
Iolo's River Valleys is a four-part BBC Cymru Wales series, produced by Aden. The series was produced and directed by Osian Griffiths and the executive producer is John Gwyn.
Speaking ahead of its release, he said: "For the first time we're following four different rivers. We usually confine the series to specific areas but this time we took four different rivers and follow the river valleys from sea to source. I thought I knew Wales quite well, but one or two of these river valleys I hadn't explored for a very long time.
"People moan that it rains a lot in Wales, but it's because of that rain that we have such stunning river valleys, streams and waterfalls.
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"Each and every one of them has a different character and each and every one of them is beautiful from source down to sea."
Watch Iolo's River Valleys on BBC Two, BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer from Tuesday 6 May
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