Nigel Marven and Steve Backshall

Nigel Marven and Steve Backshall are two well-known British wildlife presenters who have introduced audiences to the fascinating world of nature and adventure. Both have built successful careers through wildlife documentaries, exploration and conservation work, but their presenting styles are quite different. Nigel is particularly recognised for his dinosaur and prehistoric animal programmes, while Steve became famous through Deadly 60 and daring wildlife expeditions. Their television achievements, family lives, education and professional journeys make an interesting comparison.

Nigel Marven and Steve Backshall Quick Bio

Category	Nigel Marven	Steve Backshall
Full Name	Nigel Alan Marven	Stephen James Backshall
Date of Birth	27 November 1960	21 April 1973
Net Worth	Not reliably publicly established	Estimated $5 million
Height	6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m)	5 feet 11½ inches (1.82 m)
Age	65 years	53 years
Birthplace	Barnet, London, England	Bagshot, Surrey, England
Nationality	British	British
Profession	Wildlife Presenter, Naturalist, Producer and Author	Wildlife Presenter, Naturalist, Explorer, Author and Adventurer
Famous For	Chased by Dinosaurs, Sea Monsters and Prehistoric Park	Deadly 60 and The Really Wild Show
Zodiac Sign	Sagittarius	Taurus
Gender	Male	Male
Marital Status	Previously married; relationship status not clearly established publicly	Married
Wife	Previously married to Jenny Hull and Gillian Impey	Helen Glover
Wedding Date	Married Jenny Hull in 1996 and Gillian Impey in 2004	10 September 2016
Children	Two	Three
Father	Not widely publicly documented	Not widely publicly documented
Mother	Not widely publicly documented	Not widely publicly documented
Siblings	Not widely publicly documented	Has a sister, Jo Backshall
Education	Studied Botany and Zoology at the University of Bristol	Studied English and Theatre Studies at the University of Exeter
Further Education	Postgraduate studies in Zoology	Master’s degree in Bioscience
University	University of Bristol	University of Exeter
Early Interest	Wildlife, animals and natural history	Animals, exploration and outdoor adventures
Career Start	Began working in wildlife television during the 1980s	Entered television wildlife production in the late 1990s
Years Active	1982–present	1996–present
Television Debut	Wildlife television production and research	National Geographic wildlife television
Major Breakthrough	BBC natural history productions	The Really Wild Show and Deadly 60
Famous Television Series	Prehistoric Park	Deadly 60
Other Popular Shows	Sea Monsters, Chased by Dinosaurs and Wild Colombia	Lost Land of the Jaguar, Lost Land of the Tiger and Expedition
BBC Work	Produced wildlife documentaries for the BBC Natural History Unit	Presented and participated in several BBC wildlife programmes
Documentary Work	Realms of the Russian Bear and Life of Birds	Deadly Dinosaurs and Big Blue Live
International Projects	Wild Colombia, Untamed China and Jaguar Adventure	National Geographic expeditions and international wildlife documentaries
Television Style	Adventurous, spontaneous and wildlife-focused	Energetic, educational and adventure-driven
Natural History Expertise	Prehistoric animals, birds and wildlife	Dangerous animals, reptiles, marine wildlife and conservation
Conservation Work	Wildlife education and natural history filmmaking	Wildlife conservation and environmental awareness
Charity Work	Wildlife and conservation-related activities	Supports wildlife and environmental organisations
Professional Recognition	Established wildlife documentary producer and presenter	MBE for services to wildlife conservation
Major Award	Recognised for natural history television production	Two BAFTA Children’s Awards associated with Deadly 60
Blue Peter Badge	Not publicly established	Gold Blue Peter Badge
Books	Wildlife and natural history publications	Deadly 60, Venom and The Falcon Chronicles
Writing Career	Author and wildlife documentary writer	Children’s author and non-fiction writer
Hobbies	Wildlife photography, travelling and exploring nature	Climbing, kayaking, diving, judo and adventure sports
Sports Interests	Wildlife exploration and outdoor activities	Rock climbing, mountaineering and endurance sports
Languages	English	English
Hair Colour	Not reliably confirmed	Not reliably confirmed
Eye Colour	Not reliably confirmed	Not reliably confirmed
Religion	Not publicly confirmed	Not publicly confirmed
Residence	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
Instagram	No verified account listed	Official social media presence
X (Twitter)	No verified account listed	Official social media presence
Facebook	Public professional presence	Official professional presence
Main Audience	Wildlife and natural history enthusiasts	Families, children, wildlife enthusiasts and adventure fans
Career Legacy	Bringing prehistoric creatures and wildlife stories to television	Inspiring younger generations to explore and protect wildlife

Nigel Marven and Steve Backshall Images

Nigel Marven and Steve Backshall Instagram