And so, farewell to yet another part of my childhood - with the sad news that David Bellamy, one of British television's more memorable "characters" and eminent naturalist, has died aged 86.
Sigh.
Among the many programmes that made him a household name, including the amazingly popular Don't Ask Me [in which he and Professor Magnus Pyke perpetually vied for the crown of "most eccentric boffin presenter"] and Bellamy's Backyard Safari, was this one...
Facts:
- As a child he wanted to be a ballet dancer, but it soon became evident that his lumbering frame was probably unsuitable for the art.
- His first exposure to the limelight was as an environmental scientific adviser in the clean-up operation after the Torrey Canyon oil tanker disaster in 1967.
- So distinctive was his voice - he famously had difficulty pronouncing his "R"s - he became a target for comedy impressionists such as Lenny Henry, who even released the novelty song "The Bellamy Wap" [based around the catchphrase "Gwapple Me Gwapenuts!"]. He found himself as much in demand for voice-overs and audiobooks for kids as he was for his passion for botany and nature.
- Several conservation awards and a lectures programme have been inaugurated in his honour.
RIP David James Bellamy OBE (18th January 1933 – 11th December 2019)
