Kate Humble, the beloved BBC wildlife presenter, is currently marking the 25th anniversary of the daytime show Animal Park alongside her co-host Ben Fogle. The series, which airs weekday mornings on BBC One, follows the lives of keepers and animals at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire. While many viewers know her from nature programmes like Springwatch and Volcano Live, fewer are aware of her early acting career, her marriage to a TV director, and her unabashed love for getting naked in nature.
From Acting to Presenting
Humble, now 57, began her career not in front of the camera as a presenter, but as an actress. In 1990, she appeared in the television production Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming, credited as "Lauren Heston … The redhead." She landed the role after working as an assistant to a casting director who needed an actress for a brief nude scene. Her co-stars included Jason Connery and Kristin Scott Thomas.
She also briefly worked as a model after being spotted on the street in Cape Town, South Africa. However, she told The Guardian that she quit after only three shoots, explaining, "I realised I hate having my photograph taken and I like food." Humble transitioned to television as a researcher before becoming a presenter on shows like Top Gear and Tomorrow's World, eventually finding her niche in wildlife programming.
Married to Her TV Director Husband
Humble has been married to television producer and director Ludo Graham since she was 23. The couple first met when she was 16, as their families were friends. They live on a farm in Monmouthshire, Wales. When asked by The Guardian about the love of her life, she replied: "It's a toss-up between my husband and my dogs, Teg and Mouse."
The couple have worked together professionally; when Humble presented Escape to the Farm on Channel 5, Graham filmed the series. She told Hello! magazine: "I was quite nervous – I think he was too – but without sounding like an overly adoring wife, he is very good at what he does and has been doing it for a very long time."
Open About Not Wanting Children
Humble has been candid about her decision not to have children. On ITV's Lorraine, she stated: "I don't want them, I've never wanted them." She told Woman's Weekly magazine that as a teenager she realised she was missing what she calls the "maternal gene." She added: "I don't think it's anybody's business but I think it's just easier if I just come out and say, 'I don't want them, I've never wanted them'. I know it sounds dreadful but that's just how I feel."
Getting Naked Outdoors
Humble's love for nature extends to skinny-dipping. During an episode of BBC2's Off The Beaten Track, she took a brisk nude dip with artist Natasha Brook. She told the Mirror: "I do like taking my clothes off and feeling at one with nature. Sometimes I get completely overwhelmed by the beauty of the environment around me and it just seems the most natural way to experience it."
She also revealed on Rob Brydon's show The Guess List that "if you're in a very beautiful place there is something very celebratory about having a little nudey dance." Her spontaneous revelry has won her fans among naturists. She noted: "The Naturist Society loves me now! It's hilarious. In fact, I've had some very lovely messages from naturists."
Animal Park airs on BBC One weekdays at 9:30am and is available on BBC iPlayer.
