Simon King Wildlife Diaries - review

I was fixed to the screen at dead on 8pm to watch my husband, sorry I mean - yep you've guessed SIMON KING!!!

Simon, his wife Marguerite and cute little daughter Savannah spend a year living on Shetland in a remote cottage, accessible only at low tide, filming wildlife and experiencing life in these stunning islands. The whole content of the 'diary' was interesting, entertaining, compelling and spellbinding, the list goes on...... watching the interaction between Simon and his little daughter and the obvious close relationship he has with his wife (also a photographer and film maker) was beautiful. His words 'who needs a television when you have a beach' when pottering about amongst rock pools with Savannah discovering the wonders of nature were so simply true. Watching Simon and Marguerite's fieldcraft to get unbelievably close to otters to film was fascinating. Simon also abseiled down 600ft cliffs on Noss to place cameras above gannets nesting ledges for the following spring which looked pretty scary and they only just got back up the cliffs again and onto the boat to mainland as semi light plunged to darkness!!! Simon was alerted by one of the local's of an Arctic Tern in distress and he went to investigate and found that the tern had a broken wing and phoned the local RSPB's to see if anything could be done - he was advised to put the bird out of its pain and misery as it would never survive/migrate with one wing etc - his obvious compassion and sadness at having to do this bought a tear to my eye. The highlight of the programme for me though was watching Simon film Orcas close in by the shore - something I am dearly hoping to see when I go Fair Isle this spring/summer. Simon ended the show with dressing up as Kate Humble (he still looked sexy!) to take part in the Shetland's Festival 'Up Helly Aa'.

I thought the whole programme was absolutely fantastic - ten out of ten and a million times better than Springwatch - don't ever want to see a rutting deer again on TV!!!

Can't wait for next week's episode - maybe he goes to Fair Isle too!!!! - I very much hope so.

Simon is still much better in the flesh - his talks at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland are always incredibly entertaining, informative and hilarious. He has an incredibly funny sense of humour which is rarely seen on TV, but ALWAYS has people rolling with laughter to the point of crying when he tells his stories. He is one of the most genuine human beings I have ever met - he will always give people loads of time when he meets them and will chat away and listen as if he has all the time in the world, even though there is a queue of 100+ waiting to see him! Roll on Birdfair! Plus I get my yearly picture/hug and signature on photocard!!!!!!!!