Sir David Attenborough says ‘terrific’ BBC Springwatch star Gordon Buchanan should take over from him
SUCCEEDING SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH will be one of telly’s toughest gigs.
But the nature show host-with-the-most says there is only one man for the job — GORDON BUCHANAN.
Sir David believes Gordon seen on the BBC’s Springwatch, Natural World and Big Cat Diary, can step in once he hangs up his binoculars.
In an exclusive interview, Sir David said: “It’s up to the television organisation. There are plenty of people but Gordon Buchanan is a terrific chap.”
Giant ratings-winners such as Blue Planet and Planet Earth are likely to continue without Sir David at the helm.
The telly legend added modestly: “I don’t want to suggest I’m irrelevant to Blue Planet but there was a lot of effort put behind it in terms of cameramen.
“People worked for three years and they were the best underwater cameramen in the world.”
Blue Planet’s second run — coming 16 years after Sir David’s 2001 original — was the most watched TV of 2017, with 14.1million viewers.
Sir David reckons being scheduled after Strictly Come Dancing gave it a boost.
He said: “They put it on a Sunday evening after the results for the dancing. You inherit the lot so have everything going for you. If they’d put it on BBC4 at 6.30pm, it would not have got 14million.”
Thankfully Sir David, 91, is determined to keep filming — and this Easter he is back with a show about eggs.
Sadly not the chocolate ones.
READ ON FOR MORE OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Olly and The Ivy
OLLY MURS can’t resist a lady who dares to bare.
Following his romance with MEL SYKES, which I revealed last year, another scantily clad temptress has caught Olly’s eye – burlesque dancer IVY PAIGE who he flirts with in this weekend’s second episode of The Voice.
The ITV show’s new coach gets all hot under the collar after meeting Ivy, who regularly strips off for Instagram snaps.
A source said: “Ivy looks a bit like Jessica Rabbit and took Olly’s fancy. It was peak Olly flirting when he met her. He fell to pieces and was mesmerised.”
Ahead of the series, which launched last week, Olly insisted he would never date a contestant, saying: “No, I’d keep it strictly professional.”
But of Ivy, he said: “She was like Jessica Rabbit. I can’t change who I am. There were attractive girls and I was flirting a little bit.”
Bit of an understatement, Olly.
Kady is Scott freed
AFTER meeting on a reality show renowned for its arguments, KADY McDERMOTT probably should have had some idea how her relationship with SCOTT THOMAS would pan out.
But she says the final straw for their romance, which started on the 2016 series of Love Island, came after his pals crashed a boozy house party and refused to leave.
The make-up artist said: “They were making a racket and being really rude to me in my own house.
“When I asked them to leave, they wouldn’t. They were swearing at me too, so I called the police.
“Scott likes to go out and is a party boy. He is very sociable – everyone knows him in Manchester – but I’m not like that. That night was the end of our relationship.”
Like so many of these TV reality romances, it was never going to last.
bizbit
MARNIE SIMPSON is eyeing yet more plastic surgery.
The Geordie Shore star, who has had at least two nose jobs, two boob ops and lip fillers, now wants an “uplift” for her breasts. The MTV show’s latest series began Tuesday night.
Les Mis a hit for Dominic
THE film version of Les Miserables had an all-star cast and the BBC’s telly adaption is off to a great start too.
Bosses have signed up The Wire’s DOMINIC WEST Spooks star DAVID OYELOWO and Tolkien actress LILY COLLINS for a six-part drama based on VICTOR HUGO’s French historical novel.
Dominic will play impoverished thief Jean Valjean in ANDREW DAVIES’ big-budget adaptation – the part taken by HUGH JACKMAN in the 2012 movie.
He won’t have to worry about hiring a voice coach, though, as the BBC’s version isn’t a musical.
Dominic said: “Jean Valjean is one of the great characters in world literature. His epic journey of redemption is one of the extraordinary roles an actor can take on and I can’t wait to get stuck in bringing Andrew’s brilliant adaptation to the screen.”
David plays obsessed policeman Javert and Lily the beautiful orphan Fantine.
Broadchurch star OLIVIA COLMAN and The Night Manager’s ADEEL AKHTAR are also on board.
Set during the republican Paris Uprising of 1832, the Beeb will hope it matches the success of its 2016 historical drama War And Peace, based on the novel by Russian heavyweight LEO TOLSTOY. And they may take cues from the star-studded 2012 film of Les Mis, which featured RUSSELL CROWE, HUGH JACKMAN, ANNE HATHAWAY and EDDIE REDMAYNE alongside Hugh.
Last year the BBC dumped the disgraced Hollywood mogul HARVEY WEINSTEIN as executive producer of its adaptation.
Good riddance.
Must Watch
WHAT? Britain’s Brightest Family, ITV1, 8pm.
WHY? New quiz hosted by “The Governess” ANNE HEGERTY with families competing in a knockout tournament to be crowned Britain’s brainiest clan – and win a dream holiday.
Soapbox
IN EMMERDALE, Lachlan is betrayed by Chrissie when she tells Belle all about his personal issues.
Chrissie hopes Belle will call time on their relationship and that might force him to come to Australia.
Elsewhere in the village, Brenda doesn’t know quite how to react to the romantic overtures Bob is making towards her.
In CORONATION STREET, Seb informs Eileen that Phelan isn’t quite the man she believes him to be – before doing a runner.
Meanwhile, Craig is devastated when Bethany just wants to spend the night watching telly in their living room and Sinead is upset after Chesney and Joseph scatter Katy’s ashes without taking her along.