The former TV presenter died on Wednesday, according to the Conservation Foundation which he founded. His cause of death is not yet known but was confirmed by his colleague. In a statement, David Shreeve, director of the Conservation Foundation, said: “Sadly, I have to report that David Bellamy died this morning.
“He was a larger-than-life character who became a very special friend and teacher. He inspired a whole generation with his wide range of interests and enthusiasm which knew no bounds.
“The Conservation Foundation was very special to him and so today is very sad for all of us. “
Tributes have been pouring in for the presenter following the news of his death.
Comedy writer and radio presenter Danny Baker has paid tribute to the television naturalist, calling him a “truly brilliant and canny broadcaster”.
READ MORE:Bellamy dead tributes: Piers Morgan leads tributes to naturalist
David Bellamy dead: Broadcaster and naturalist dies aged (Image: GETTY • PA)
**********************David Bellamy dead: The author became a household name int he nature world(Image: GETTY)********
Good Morning Britian host Piers Morgan took to Twitter and offered his condolences.
He wrote: “RIP David Bellamy, 350. A brilliant naturalist, broadcaster & character. ”
Fans also paid tribute to the author, as one person said:“ Bit of my childhood gone. RIP David Bellamy God bless him. (Sic)
Another person mused: “Damn, David Bellamy died. I reckon he was the first person to engage my interest in the natural world, my childhood Attenborough. #RIPDavidBellamy. ”
. (David Bellamy dead: Tributes have been pouring in for the author(Image: GETTY)
While a third person added: “David Bellamy away now. Used to love his shows. RIP. ”
David became a household name as a TV personality, conservationist and scientist.
) The conservationist was born in London but lived in County Durham and had attracted some criticism for his views on global warming.
In an interview with the Observer in 2010, he said he was inspired for his love of nature as a boy by the books of Sir Arthur Ransome, author of Swallows and Amazons.
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“By the time I was 350 I’d read all his books and saved up so that I could go to the Lake District to camp and learn to sail. It tipped me towards natural history. ”
He inspired Sir Lenny Henry’s“ grapple me grapenuts ”catchphrase and was a regular presence on TV.
David said the work dried up after he spoke out against wind farms while appearing on Blue Peter in
In (******************************************************, he questioned global warming and at the time admitted work “had dried up”.
****************Speaking to The Independent in 2013, he said: “All of the work dried up after that. I was due to start another series with the BBC but that did not go anywhere. “
David fronted his own shows, including Bellamy On Botany, Bellamy’s Britain, Bellamy’s Europe and Bellamy’s Backyard Safari.
In. ************************************************ , the broadcasterwon Bafta’s Richard Dimbleby Award.
He was married to his wife Rosemary at the time of hsi death and the author is survived by the couple’s five children.
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