Steve Backshall's 'Dangerously Close' Hippo Encounter While Filming Channel 5 Documentary
Naturalist and explorer Steve Backshall experienced a heart-stopping moment of peril while filming his latest wildlife series for Channel 5. The presenter, known for his daring adventures, found himself in a precarious situation during the production of Hippo Watch with Steve Backshall, when a group of hippos turned their attention towards him and his camera crew in South Africa.
A Tense Wildlife Confrontation
A clip shared on Instagram, captioned "Dangerously close encounter with hippos", vividly captures the escalating tension. Backshall and his team were filming in the water, observing a pod of hippos nearby, when the animals began to exhibit curious and potentially aggressive behaviour. "They're coming our way!" Backshall exclaimed as he noticed the hippos starting to move towards them.
The voiceover in the documentary issued a stark warning: "Even on waters where hippos are familiar with boats and people, beware of hippos who break away from their group." This caution proved prescient as Backshall observed the animals closely. "Oh, he's standing up and having a good close look at me. Look at that! Spy hopping right up out of the water," he narrated, describing the hippo's behaviour.
Escalating Danger and Swift Retreat
The situation quickly intensified. Backshall alerted his crew, saying, "OK guys, keep a very close eye on him, yeah? Two of them are splintered off from the pod, and they're looking right at me. Three. Three of them now. And definitely curious." As the hippos advanced through the water, his concern grew: "I think those two are coming our way. No? Yeah, they are. Look, they're coming our way!"
Someone from the film crew then urgently instructed, "OK guys, they're moving now, come on," prompting a hasty retreat. Backshall waded back to the boat, admitting, "We're getting very close." The voiceover emphasised the gravity of the moment, noting it was "definitely time to leave" and advising, "You can never get complacent around these animals, and should always err on the side of caution."
Viewer Acclaim and Series Success
The Instagram caption underscored the life-threatening risk, stating: "Wrong place. Wrong time. @backshall.steve finds himself dangerously close to a hippo that’s broken from the pack... One wrong move could be fatal." Despite the dangers, the series has been met with enthusiastic praise from audiences.
Viewers have flooded social media with positive feedback, calling the documentary "phenomenal", "fantastic, thoroughly enjoyed this", and "incredible". One fan remarked, "Very interesting," while another shared a personal tribute: "Steve, you’re quite literally my childhood role model. So awesome to see all of this content."
Hippo Watch with Steve Backshall is currently available for viewing on Channel 5, offering audiences a gripping look into the world of these formidable animals, alongside the very real risks involved in wildlife filmmaking.
