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Tony Soper 

Tony Soper with camera

A co-founder of the BBC's Natural History Unit, Tony Soper's first involvement with natural history broadcasting was working with Desmond Hawkins and Peter Scott on BBC radio programmes and inaugural natural history television programmes in the early 1950s. Purchasing the Unit's first film camera, Tony then produced the BBC's first full length wildlife film, The Fulmar, in 1958, and went on to produce wildlife programmes for the BBC from across the globe.

1962 saw Tony Soper leave the BBC Natural History Unit, after a brief period as its Head, allowing him to spend more time writing and indulging his passion for travel. In 1963, Tony moved in front of the camera to become Johnny Morris's sidekick in Animal Magic and later presented Nature on BBC2.

Tony has narrated numerous programmes for the BBC and National Geographic, and alongside script-writing, has written 14 books on natural history subjects. Tony was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Plymouth and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Oral History

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WildFilmHistory Films

film-smallLook: Flight (1957)Producer 
film-smallLook: The Fulmar (1958)Producer 
film-smallTravellers' Tales: The Undersea World of Adventure: Hans Hass: Underwater Photography (1958)Executive Producer 
film-smallFaraway Look: The Virgin Islands (1959)Photography 
film-smallAnimal Magic (1962-1984): Programme 4 (1962)Presenter 
film-smallThe World About Us (1967 - 1987): Countdown for the Everglades (1971)Narrator,
Presenter 
film-smallBeside the sea: The Living Sea (1979)Presenter 
film-smallThe World About Us (1967 - 1987): Feast or Famine (1980)Narrator 
film-smallWildlife Talkabout: Programme 4 (1982)Interviewee 
film-smallNature (1983)Presenter 
film-smallReefwatch (1988)Presenter 
Stills
Tony Soper with a hand-reared badger for Animal Magic
Tony Soper with a hand-reared badger for...
BBC production staff
BBC production staff
Tony Soper with Barbara Dancey at Hagenbecks Zoo
Tony Soper with Barbara Dancey at Hagenbecks...
Tony Soper at Hagenbeck Zoo
Tony Soper at Hagenbeck Zoo
Tony Soper filming Opuntia cactus in the Galapagos Islands for Faraway Look: Galapagos
Tony Soper filming Opuntia cactus in the...
Tony Soper with camera
Tony Soper with camera
Tony Soper filming
Tony Soper filming
Tony Soper on filming trip in Cesenatico for Ride a Dolphin
Tony Soper on filming trip in Cesenatico...
Rolf Harris, Tony Soper and Peter Scott in a bird hide
Rolf Harris, Tony Soper and Peter Scott in...
Frank Gillard, Desmond Hawkins and Tony Soper
Frank Gillard, Desmond Hawkins and Tony Soper
Bill Oddie (left) and Tony Soper
Bill Oddie (left) and Tony Soper
Chris Parsons (left), Peter Scott (centre) and Tony Soper at the re-launch of BBC Wildlife magazine
Chris Parsons (left), Peter Scott (centre)...
Tony Soper filming spiders in a vivarium with Peter Scott for Faraway Look: The Virgin Islands
Tony Soper filming spiders in a vivarium...
Tony Soper filming Peter Scott for Faraway Look: The Virgin Islands
Tony Soper filming Peter Scott for Faraway...
Peter Scott filming a hummingbird nest with David Snow (Ornithologist) and Tony Soper (centre) for Faraway Look: Trinidad
Peter Scott filming a hummingbird nest with...
Tony Soper and Les Jackman
Tony Soper and Les Jackman
Camera crew and Tony Soper filming in Florida
Camera crew and Tony Soper filming in Florida
Tony Soper feeds a manatee
Tony Soper feeds a manatee
Tony Soper prepares to speak to camera
Tony Soper prepares to speak to camera