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Kate Humble
Katherine ('Kate') Humble was born in Wimbledon in 1968. She grew up in Bray, Berkshire where she lived next door to a farm and spent most of her spare time mucking out the horses. After she left the Abbey School in Reading, After leaving school she travelled to Africa and spent a year doing various jobs like hatching crocodiles, driving and cooking for safari companies, making her way slowly from South Africa to Egypt. She arrived in Cairo with just £5!
When Kate eventually returned to England she did odd jobs (like making tea and typing!) for people wh
who worked in television production companies. Gradually, she worked her way up the ladder to becoming a producer. She has
returned to Africa many times since. In 1994 she travelled around Madagascar, the subject
subject of her first article for the Daily Telegraph travel section. Since then she has written articles ranging from diving and cycling in Cuba, to hippopotamus conservation work in Ghana.
Kate started her television career as a researcher, on programmes such as Animal Hospital, but with her looks and
and personality, she began as a reporter on programmes, ranging from Countryfile, and Rolf's Amazing Animals.
In 1999, Kate presented 31 episodes of Top Gear, the BBC's the long running show about cars, and also a stint presenting City Hospital where she broadcast live from from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in central London.
Kate Humble in Top Gear
In 2000, Kate began presenting Rough Science, a documentary series where a small team of scientists are transported to a remote location (deserted island, mountain valley, etc) and given various tasks that they mu
had to complete using only basic tools, and whatever materials they can get from the environmen aroun
2000 was also the year that Kate (along with Ben Fogle) began co-presenting the long running series Animal Park, from Longleat Safari Park, and in 2002 she explored the de
environment around them. The series ran to thirty six episodes over five years.
depths of the ocean in The Abyss, with a repeat the following year.
Kate Humble & Ben Fogle present Animal Park
Ben Fogle & Kate Humble
In 2003, Kate joined and
Bill Oddie and Simon King to present Wild In Your Garden, a week of live broadcasts which followed the lives of the animal residents of two Bristol gardens.
The immensely popular and successful Springwatch, with the same three presenters, developed from this and
has run each year since 2005. They also presented an autumn edition Autumnwatch from 2006-2008. The team have also written a Springwatch & Autumnwatch book to go with the series.
Kate says of Oddie, "Bill ranges from being unpredictable to downright difficult, but he's passionate about his subject. Sometimes I could cheerfully throttle him, but the bottom line is I'm terribly fond of the old sod!"
Bill Oddie & Kate Humble
Kate Humble was joined by Steve Backshall for Ultimate Caving (2007). In this she tackled four different and treacherous caves in the UK, pushing herself to the limit as each cave became more difficult. The final cave, Titan at Castleton in Derbyshire, included a vertical ascent of 141 metres on ropes - higher than the London Eye!
In 2009, Kate Humble was the subject of Who Do You Think You Are? She discovered that both her grandfathers were flyers. Bill Humble was a celebrity stunt pilot, and a key figure in the development of the Hawker Tempest aircraft. K
Kate with Steve Backshall in Ultimate Caving
Kate's other grandfather, Stan Carter, was an airman during WW II. He was shot down on a bombing raid, and eventually sent to Stalag Luft III in Poland, the scene of the Great Escape.
Kate is married to television producer and director Ludo Graham. They married in 1992, and have recently moved from Chiswick, West London to the Wye Valley
Kate and Ludo are both very enthusiastic, qualified SCUBA divers.
Ludo & Kate
always
to live.
a place where
they have
wanted
This is not Kate's usual image!
Kate Humble explores the sea bed
Kate has two sons, Bertie (b.1994) & Lawrence (b. 1996).
Kate Humble in Rough Science
Kate Humble in Rough Science
Kate Humble with a camel at Longleat
Kate Humble
Kate Humble cycling in Cuba
Kate Humble
Kate Humble with Bill Oddie and Simon King
Kate Humble in Who Do You Think You Are?
Kate in Who Do You Think You Are?
Kate signed this photo for me at The Outdoors Show
Who Do You Think You Are? - Kate Humble
I met Kate Humble at 'The Outdoors Show' which was held at the NEC in March 2008.
She gave a talk about making Ultimate Caving and showed video clips from the programme, including her scaling the 141 metre high Titan cave in Derbyshire, on a rope!
Kate signed a photo for me, and also my book about her TV series Springwatch.