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in a park in London. Often when I come back from trips I have to get into that park and lie on the grass and watch the birds at eye level to reconnect to nature. Once you have that connection, you subliminally understand how vital it is to protect it and really as a communicator that’s my role to remind people how special this planet is…and how much of a part we are of it. Totally… So, the arena tour like this is selfishly a great way for me to reconnect with the beauty of it along with an incredible 74-piece orchestra playing the music of Hans Zimmer, who is an absolute genius, and also to watch these incredible species on a massive screen. It will be a very emotional and special experience and special to have this connection of all of us in this arena reminding ourselves of what’s important. It’s another way to connect to what is important in life, I think.
It’s important for families isn’t it? If you have a child who is more into games and electronics, this is the kind of thing that can change minds, perceptions and future direction isn’t it? Oh my god, you need to be doing my job – you’re brilliant Katie! Exactly it! These are very much geared towards the family audience, an opportunity for us all to connect together, young, old and middle-aged and really celebrate being human and letting this extraordinarily powerful emotional experience motivate us and inspire us. I don’t really need to say very much, I’ll just gently contextualize some of the pieces, so a few things about why they are beautiful and important, but really the visuals and music will do that job for us. There is a special matinee in London for young children and a discount for all children under 14 in the other arenas as well, so we’re very much encouraging families to bring kids and grandparents as well – allow it to inspire us to make the change the planet needs.
What are the stand-out moments for you? Narratively it takes you on the whole spectrum of emotions from comedic moments to truly moving scenes and specially edited scenes for the show. I don’t want to give too much away. It will all be spectacular to be really fair, there isn’t just one special moment, it all builds beautifully to a crescendo.
Now nature can be very unpredictable – and that’s the beauty of it. Any funny moments that haven’t made it through edit you can share? Oh, so many! We know meerkats quite well because they are so telly-friendly right? I’ve been to the Kalahari twice on two separate projects with the meerkats project there and honestly, they are habituated to humans because the scientists there work very, very carefully over the years to make the meerkats think we’re just another part of nature. I’m trying to do a piece to camera and this meerkat just jumps on my shoulder and jumps on my head! Whenever they are out foraging, they have to be a sentinel and that role can change any one time in any one day. The sentinel had to get to the highest vantage point to keep a look out for aerial predators. They are always vocalizing and it’s very comedic, which he is doing on my head whilst trying to get a foothold on my hair, to get a grip whilst I‘m still trying to get on with my job! You can’t help but laugh at them, they are the most gorgeous funny, endearing little creatures.
My family always say if I was an animal I’d be a meerkat! [laughing] It’s a huge compliment!
Sir David Attenborough, he’s in my top five dinner guests, love him, but do you think that you and the likes of Steve Backshall and this new generation have a duty to pick up the baton and take the message to a new audience? Blue Planet II has more viewers than the X-Factor – I think David has that nailed. He appeals to a wide range of audience, young and old. I hosted the Seven Worlds, One Planet premiere – the new landmark from Sir David and his team – and there was this five-year-old lad, Wilf I think his name was, and he was desperate, desperate to ask Sir David a question. He got to ask the question and Sir David answered him and I know that he has changed that little boy’s life forever. Children that young absolutely adore him and are drawn to him – he’s absolutely unique and broke the mould. I think communicators like myself and others are privileged to communicate what we do, but honestly, he is unmissable and will and always will be Sir David Attenborough, who is not only a national treasure, but also a global treasure. It’s not our job to appeal to younger or older audiences; we’re just picking up the slack, as he can’t make all the programmes! There’s no better spokesperson or figurehead for the planet than Sir David and I don’t think there will ever be anyone to match him if I’m honest.
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