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Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Springwatch star Iolo Williams' life off-screen from major health scare to family life
BBC Springwatch star Iolo Williams' life off-screen from major health scare to family life Iolo Williams is a well-known face on TV, but the Springwatch star's world was rocked by two major health emergencies Iolo is back presenting Springwatch (Image: BBC ) Iolo Williams, the Welsh naturalist, broadcaster, and writer, is back on our screens for the 2025 series of Springwatch, which continues at 8pm on Tuesday, May 27, on BBC Two. A familiar face on screen, Iolo has presented numerous nature and wildlife series for the BBC and S4C over the years. He is best known for BBC's The Watches, Winterwatch, Springwatch, and Autumnwatch, having joined the popular series as a regular presenter in 2019. He also has his owns series, Iolo's River Valleys, airing at 7pm on BBC Two on Tuesday, May 27. In 2023 Iolo had to withdraw from presenting Springwatch after suffering a heart attack during a six-mile run in the Welsh countryside. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . The 61-year-old spoke openly about the frightening experience, which resulted in him having a stent fitted, and later revealed he also suffered from an embolism. In a concerning update from May, 2023, he shared an update on social media from his hospital bed, saying: "Unfortunately I can't co-present @BBCSpringwatch this year. I had a stent inserted in April, which released a clot, that, this week, caused an embolism! "My demise has been greatly exaggerated; thanks to brilliant friends, wonderful family and the excellent @NHS. Go Megan and team SW!". Article continues below Sharing more about the incident later, Williams recounted his routine six-mile jog through the Welsh countryside, unexpectedly ending in a heart attack. Realising immediately what was happening yet far from help, he had to endure a painful walk back to his vehicle, where his phone was left, managing the situation with remarkable fortitude. "It came like a bolt out of the blue," Iolo recounted to The Mirror. "I knew what it was – intense pain under my sternum. It was a heart attack. And I thought well, I can't go down here! So I walked on, crouched a little bit every now and again when the pain got a little bit worse. "Got to my car, phoned for an ambulance and they said it would be 90-odd minutes. So my wife, Ceri, came down, drove me to hospital and from then on I was in the hands of the NHS. They were superb." Iolo with his Springwatch co-presenters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan (Image: SHARED CONTENT UNIT ) While filming for a new series in Port Talbot, Iolo suffered another medical emergency. He said: "We were about to go in to film and I got in a car, in the passenger seat, and all of a sudden I just couldn't put the seatbelt on. "I couldn't understand why. The driver was asking what's the matter and I couldn't communicate. So they rushed me to hospital 10 minutes away and injected some high-level aspirin in liquid form." A cardiac stent had been previously fitted, which might have attributed to a blood clot leading to an embolism. Iolo revealed: "It went around my body for six weeks and then it jammed in a blood vessel in my medulla oblongata – the left-hand side of the base of my brain. The left-hand side operates the right-hand side of your body so I was paralysed. "But luckily, the NHS jumped into action again and in probably a couple of hours the use of my right arm, right leg had come back. Speech took probably the best part of four or five days to come fully back but there were no long-term ill-effects whatsoever." Iolo recently gave a health update, saying: "I got the use of my arm and my leg back, so I can still walk and do what I enjoy doing, and that was generally what I was thinking. "For me, if I'm going to die, I'd rather die doing what I love, and I love being outside. I love doing wildlife programmes, I love guiding. And if I die showing people a white tailed eagle or die showing people red kites in north Wales, what a way to go." Iolo has been a familiar face on television since the 90s, starting his media career with BBC Two's Visions of Snowdonia. This programme chronicled the lives of six individuals residing and working on the slopes of Wales' highest mountain. Before his days as a presenter he dedicated nearly 15 years to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as the Species Officer for Wales. However, when a second series of the BBC Two show was commissioned in 1999, Iolo chose to leave the RSPB and embark on a full-time media career. Since then, he has presented a variety of shows including Canals of Wales with Iolo Williams, Iolo's Natural History of Wales, Wild Wales, Rugged Wales and Great Welsh Parks. Yet, Iolo is perhaps most recognised for his work on The Watches. Despite a successful television career and a packed schedule, Iolo has also penned a number of books, boasting five publications under his belt. His works include Blwyddyn Iolo (2003), Crwydro (2004), Wild about the Wild (2005), Wild Places Wales (2016), and Wild Places UK (2019). In his spare time, Iolo regularly contributes to several magazines, including BBC Wildlife. Article continues below Iolo and his wife Ceri Williams share a private family life, having two children together but preferring to keep their personal affairs away from the media spotlight. After a heart attack hit him during a run last year, Iolo was grateful for his "brilliant friends" and "wonderful family", praising his wife Ceri's quick thinking in driving him to the hospital when an ambulance was delayed.
The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Chris Packham shares why he loves being in the New Forest
The 64-year-old TV presenter and naturalist lives in the area and has spoken about his love for the woodland. It comes as part of Country Living's feature on the favourite 'green and happy' spaces of UK celebrities. The publication said: "For four decades, Country Living has celebrated the power of nature to nourish, soothe and restore us. "So to celebrate our 40th birthday this year, we've asked 40 of our favourite country-loving friends to tell us about the gardens, woods, lakes and mountains that nurture their wellbeing." Chris Packham reveals why he loves the New Forest Speaking to the magazine on the New Forest, Packham explained how he experiences it while living with Asperger's, which is on the autism spectrum. He shared: "I understand the natural world through the prism of autism. I need space and to do things my way. "Each morning, I walk the dogs in the local countryside. It's the best bit of the day." Packham also spoke about living in the New Forest in a prior interview with Country Living, saying how much he connected with it. He explained: "I go back every morning to the woods where I lived up until recently to walk my dogs. "I just love that bit of woods. I wander around there and I know all the trees and I love the way it smells. It's my favourite place. "I woke up this morning and I went outside [my new house] and it smelt different. Recommended reading: "I know it's only a mile and a half away but it smells different here. That sort of connectivity is really important to me." Packham is well-known for presenting Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch on the BBC. He has also been a strong advocate for tackling climate change, even becoming the first non-US-based director of the Climate Emergency Fund in October 2024.
Metro
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
TV star dubbed 'everyone's childhood crush in the 80s' becomes a granny
Beloved TV host Michaela Strachan has reminded us all that time is truly flying after announcing the birth of her first grandchild. The reality star, 59, known for her wildlife and nature shows, rose to fame with her 80s series The Really Wild Show as well as presenting BBC's Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch and a decade-long tenure on Countryfile. Now, just weeks after competing in Dancing on Ice, Michaela is sharing the special moment she became a grandmother for the first time after her stepson Thomas Chevallier had a baby with his wife Mikayla Humphries. In a caption on Instagram, she wrote: 'Today I became a Granny!! 'After an extremely stressful and exhausting labour, 55hrs, baby Huxley finally arrived!! So proud of my future daughter-in-law [Mikayla] & my stepson [Thomas]. Proud new parents. 'Me and granny Jacky Humphries were a wee bit emotional. Welcome to the world baby Huxley. So, so precious.' The heartfelt message was paired with a series of pictures capturing the happy family at the hospital including a snap of all four of them together, one of Michaela cuddling the baby and one with Huxley and her stepson Fans, family and friends flocked to the comments to offer their congratulations to the first-time grandparent, calling the role the 'best thing ever'. Of course, in the 80s The Hitman and Her star was the muse for many childhood crushes – and she still is for many today. 'My celeb crush in the early 90's, still my celeb crush today,' fallenangel152 wrote on a Reddit thread about Michaela becoming a childhood TV crush. 'Michaela was and is lovely,' druid bloke agreed. One user, the amyichasedwasme, joked: 'For real. I know more about animals that I'll ever need to. Michaela reached the final of the latest Dancing On Ice season (which will also be its last after ITV rested the show) with many rooting for her to take home the trophy. Although she just missed out on victory, she was filled with gratitude for the experience. 'This whole experience has been so incredible. From being terrified on the ice back in October, to getting to be the runner up in the final, I completely exceeded my own expectations and am so proud of what [pro partner] Mark Hanretty & I have achieved. 'So many unbelievable memories. So many incredible people involved,' she penned to her followers after the grand finale. More Trending The media personality – who has lived with her partner Nick Chavallier in South Africa since 2002 – has previously spoken about her experience with breast cancer after she was diagnosed in 2014 and underwent a double mastectomy. Last year, she shared her reflections a decade on to her followers on social media. 'It's been 10 years since my breast cancer diagnosis. I had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. A decade later I've learnt to love my scars. But that acceptance has taken time. It can be really tough for people to accept the way they look after surgery,' she wrote at the time. View More » She has three stepchildren – Jade, and twins Tom and Sam – and a son Ollie born in 2006. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: How to watch David Attenborough's new film Ocean as TV legend nears 99th birthday MORE: Stacey Solomon is 'regretting tell-all TV show with husband Joe Swash' MORE: Doctor Who's moral lectures are becoming harder to justify
