Tony Soper's Life of Animal Magic Ends at 95 The Legacy Lives On

Tony Soper, the naturalist and TV presenter credited with conceiving the idea for the BBC’s renowned Natural History Unit, has died aged 95. Though he came up with the concept for a wildlife unit in Bristol, he declined the role of running it, preferring to focus on program creation rather than administration. Soper became a popular wildlife presenter, recognized for his warm demeanor and distinctive Devon accent. His career, which spanned from the 1960s to the late 1980s, helped introduce British wildlife to a broad television audience, alongside contemporaries like Peter Scott and Bill Oddie.

Born in Southampton, Soper grew up in Plymouth and began his career at the BBC as a trainee engineer before shifting to radio and television production. He played a key role in the early development of wildlife programming, producing Look and participating in the first live wildlife outside broadcast, Wild Geese in Winter.

Soper was known for his work on series such as Animal Magic and Wildtrack, and earned the nickname “One-take Tony” for his calm and reliable presenting style. After leaving the BBC, he focused on writing and leading wildlife cruises, particularly to polar regions. His career also included writing popular wildlife books, such as The Bird Table Book. He continued to lead expeditions and write well into his later years. Soper is survived by his wife, Hilary, their two sons, and five grandchildren.

Music by Yevhen Onoychenko from Pixabay