River monsters host biography for kids

Jeremy John Wade (born 23 March 1956) is a British television presenter, an author of books on angling, and a biologist. He is known for his television series River Monsters, Mighty Rivers and Dark Waters. He is regarded as one of the most accomplished anglers of all time, having traveled the world and caught a multitude of different species of fresh and saltwater fish.

Personal life

Jeremy Wade was born in Ipswich and brought up in Nayland where his father was a vicar. He attended Dean Close School and has a degree in zoology from Bristol University and a postgraduate teaching certificate in biological sciences from the University of Kent. He has worked as a secondary school biology teacher in Kent.

At various times during his journeys abroad, Wade has caught malaria, been threatened at gunpoint, and survived a plane crash. He is fluent in Portuguese, which he studied during the many years he spent fishing in Brazil, and also speaks French and Spanish.

Career

At a young age, Jeremy Wade became interested in fishing; he began as a child when he was living in East Anglia, on the banks of Suffolk's River Stour. "The village where I grew up had a river flowing through it. So it was inevitable, I think, that I should be drawn to it in the same way that people born in sight of Alpine peaks become climbers. My first attempts to catch fish, age 7 or 8, were unsuccessful, but then I had some guidance from a school friend and after my first catch I never looked back. My parents were happy for me to stay out all day and a big part of my fishing was wanting to find new places, a process that has continued to this day."

Wildlife documentary television series

River Monsters is a British wildlifedocumentary television series produced for Animal Planet by Icon Films of Bristol, United Kingdom. It is hosted by angler and biologistJeremy Wade, who travels around the globe in search of big and dangerous fish.

River Monsters premiered on ITV in Great Britain and became one of the most-watched programmes in Animal Planet's history. It is also one of the most-viewed series on Discovery Channel in the American market.

Overview

River Monsters follows the worldwide adventures of Suffolk-born British host, biologist, adventurer and extreme angler Jeremy Wade. He explores rivers and lakes to uncover the creatures behind local folklore and harrowing tales of monster fish. The show has taken viewers to England, Scotland, Cambodia, Canada, Germany, Spain, Colombia, Bolivia, Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Argentina, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, India, Japan, France, Russia, Suriname, Brazil, Guyana, The Solomon Islands, Indon

This dramatic series will reel you in with its fascinating close-up views of the legendary water creatures at the heart of many underwater horror stories. Wade often catches live samples of the species he studies, and the visual aids give viewers a close-up look at unique features like razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws that make the fish so deadly. The good news is that Wade is thorough in his studies, taking a CSI-like approach to piece together the facts and suppositions of the myths he investigates before making a conclusion about a species' supposedly deadly nature. Fish enthusiasts will probably be more intrigued by the show's subject matter than the average viewer, but there's enough drama to maintain most adults' interest.

Speaking of drama, there's an overabundance of the human variety to captivate viewers, but the graphic first-hand accounts of attacks -- some of which bring Wade nearly to tears -- are too upsetting for kids and sensitive viewers. Many interviewees talk about the injuries they received, the deaths they've witnessed, and the emotional work of recovering partial bodies after an attack.