Iolo Williams
| Iolo Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 August 1962 Builth Wells, Powys |
| Residence | near Newtown, Powys |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Education | Llanfyllin High School |
| Occupation | ornithologist nature observer television presenter |
| Years active | 1997-present |
| Employer | RSPB:1985-1999 BBC Wales:1997-present |
| Known for | Wildlife presenter |
| Home town | Llanwddyn, Powys |
| Spouse | Ceri |
| Children | 2x sons, Dewi and Tomos |
Iolo Tudur Williams (born 22 August 1962) is a Welsh nature observer and television presenter, best known for his BBC and S4C nature shows.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
The son of a headmaster school teacher, Williams was born in Builth Wells, Powys, but his family moved to Pembrokeshire, before returning to Powys when he was aged five to live in Llanwddyn near Lake Vyrnwy.[1] Educated at Llanfyllin High School,[2] after gaining two A levels in Biology and French, he almost joined the British Army but instead went to college in London, graduating with a degree in ecology.[1]
[edit] Career
After graduation, he worked on a farm and then in the timber trade, before joining the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in 1985, staying for 14 years working in the field and as a regional co-ordinator. This led to his making regular appearances in the media, making a name for himself as a leading expert on Welsh bird life.[2]
In 1997 he made "Visions of Snowdonia" with BBC Wales, which followed the lives of six people living and working on the slopes of the country's highest mountain. After making a second series, in 1999 Williams decided to leave the RSPB and pursue a full-time career in the media.[1] He presently makes his main appearances on BBC Wales,[2] and with wider Welsh focused programs on S4C in his first language of Welsh made by independent TV company Telesgop.
Known for frequently wearing shorts for his work, he has, as a result, become a Welsh cult gay icon.[3] In 2007, Williams was awarded an honorary fellowship of the University of Bangor.[4]
[edit] Personal life
Williams and his wife Ceri live near the town of Newtown.[3] The couple have two sons (Dewi and Tomos);[1][2][5] and two rescue dogs, Ianto and Gwen, who have both appeared in some of his television series.
Williams and his wife built a timber-framed home, fully insulated, double-glazed with energy-saving lightbulbs throughout. They have a wildlife garden, and grow their own vegetables. They compost all their food waste, and recycle everything else, whilst always eating organic and local produce. As a result of this, in a World Wide Fund for Nature survey of carbon footprints of ecology personalities, Williams and his family were found to have a very low rating of 1.81, compared to a Welsh average of 3.0.[5]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Television
- Bro (S4C)
- Iolo yn Rwsia (S4C)
- Gwyllt (S4C)
- Natur Anghyfreithlon (S4C)
- Crwydro (S4C)
- Canals of Wales (BBC)[6]
- Wild Wales (BBC)
- Wild Winter (BBC)
- Iolo's Special Reserves (BBC)
- Iolo's Natural History of Wales (BBC)
- Iolo's Welsh Safari 2005 (BBC)
- Iolo ac Indiaid America 2010 (S4C)
- Springwatch 2010 (BBC)
[edit] Works
- Blwyddyn Iolo, Gwasg Gwynedd, 2003 *Crwydro, Hughes a'i Fab, 2004
- Wild about the Wild Gwasg Gomer, 2005
- Cwm Glo Cwm Gwyrdd 2008
[edit] References
- Llyfr Natur Iolo by Paul Sterry - Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2007
- ^ a b c d "Iolo Williams". gomer.co.uk. http://www.gomer.co.uk/gomer/en/gomer.ViewAuthor/authorBio/1175. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ a b c d "Iolo Williams". BBC Mid-Wales. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/halloffame/showbiz/iolo_williams.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ a b "TV's Iolo is a gay icon". Wales on Sunday. 2008-03-23. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/2008/03/23/tv-s-iolo-is-a-gay-icon-91466-20661438/. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ "Film actor, Rhys Ifans among University's Honorary Fellows!". University of Bangor. 2007-07-17. http://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full.php?Id=281. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ a b "Iolo Williams". World Wide Fund for Nature. http://wales.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/changing_the_way_we_live/one_planet_wales/footprint_case_studies/lolo_williams22/index.cfm. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ^ "Canals of Wales". tiscali.co.uk. https://www.tiscali.co.uk/tv/shows/details/canals-of-wales-with-iolo-williams/. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- Iolo ac Indiaid America http://www.s4c.co.uk/ioloacindiaidamerica/e_index.shtml Retrieved 9/2/11
