Steve Backshall won’t align himself with Extinction Rebellion or Just Stop Oil: ‘You can’t alienate people with your methods’-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Steve Backshall is known for his passion for all things wildlife and nature, having travelled the globe on expeditions and appeared on screens with programmes like Deadly 60 and Expedition for well over a decade.

But, as much as he loves the environment and is keen to spread the message about protecting it, he refuses to associate with activist groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil.

The two organisations have made headlines, mostly thanks to their outlandish methods of campaigning, whether it be throwing eggs at the King or throwing soup over a Van Gogh painting.

Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk, Steve explained his thoughts on whether such controversial methods can ever be successful in creating positive changes.

‘The problem is that you can totally understand and get behind the ethics of certain groups, but as soon as you have a method, a way of doing things that alienates people, that becomes dangerous,’ the CBBC presenter, 50, said.

‘We need to build as big a groundswell of popular opinion as possible, and a lot of things I’m talking about, particularly when it comes to climate change, it’s not about one person completely turning their life around, it’s about all of us making small changes.

Steve Backshall doesn’t want to align himself with groups such as Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil (Picture: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for BBC Earth Launch)

‘The more you alienate people through your methods, the less that becomes a possibility.’

‘And that’s why I very decisively haven’t aligned myself with groups like Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion,’ he stated.

‘It’s not because I don’t agree with them, it’s because you would lose so much of the audience that you have an opportunity to talk to and that is not a great idea.’

But, that doesn’t mean Steve is giving up the fight in the name of conservationism, as he won’t rule out becoming an MP himself in the future.

‘I wish that I had the guts to go into politics and frankly, I think it’s a bit worrying if someone like me who is so passionate about the things I believe in, I consider myself to be an ethical and moral person, if people like me don’t go into politics, I think that’s quite worrying,’ he said candidly.

The broadcaster says it’s important not to ‘alienate people’ with activism (Picture: BBC Studios/Chris Vile)

‘We need to build as big a groundswell of popular opinion as possible’ (Picture: Getty)

‘But there are still areas where my knowledge is not good enough and also areas where I think that I genuinely can make more of an impact now in the position I’m in, in broadcasting.

‘So, I’m not gonna rule it out because I think people like me should be stepping up to the plate, but at present, where I am has more pragmatic opportunities to get things done.’

He’s even teased that big changes could be ‘afoot’, after trying for ‘years’ to make connections and gain contacts within the government to ‘get the voice of the wildlife community heard’.

‘There are big plans afoot. We just need to get them in motion,’ he teased proudly.

‘Watch this space, there are going to be a couple of announcements that I think are going to grab people.’

Steve – who is Vice President at RSPCA and attended the Chelsea Flower Show to promote their wildlife work – continues to feel proud of the impact he’s able to make.

Steve appeared at the Chelsea Flower Show with RSPCA, as their Vice President (Picture: PA)

The Deadly 60 presenter stresses the importance of making your garden fit for wildlife (Picture: PA)

There’s still a way to go, though, as he stressed that we’ve ‘lost 97% of our wildflower meadows and so much of our wildlife is struggling, including key creatures.’

Consequently, he’s encouraging people to get their hands dirty and make their own gardens fit for nature.

‘We have a huge opportunity. There are 23 million gardens in our nation and if you were to turn over even a small percentage of those to wildlife, that would be enormous, so bugs can make themselves at home away from predators, hedgehogs and bats and birds have somewhere to spend the winter.’

But, he assures it doesn’t need to be a mammoth task.

‘It could just be a window box with a couple of nectar-rich flowers. It could be a plant pot on your doorstep, but if you have the right kind of flower in it then it’s going to be advantageous, and having that switch of mind is really important.’

Steve is flattered by comparisons to Sir David Attenborough (Picture: Alex Board)

…but, he has no intentions of taking his place (Picture: BBC)

He also explained ‘wild and unkempt’ areas are great for animals – so yay for us lazy folk!

Oh, and if all this talk of wildlife is making you compare Steve to the one and only Sir David Attenborough, it’s a comparison he’s had before.

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However, he has no plans to take the legendary 97-year-old broadcaster’s job.

‘Sir David is the greatest storyteller and broadcaster there has ever been and I think we are so, so lucky that he decided to make natural history his subject.

‘As to successors, I just don’t think that will ever happen, we will never have another time in the future where there is one voice, one figurehead, and to be frank, you put all of us together and we’re still only an infinitesimal part of what his legacy is, but if I could be even a tiny, tiny part of that future then I would be very proud.’

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