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Big Cat Live

The hosts of Big Cat Live in the Masai Mara
  • Posted at 4:26pm
  • 16 October 2008
  • by DavidButcher-RT
  • 7 comments

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. The much-loved franchise that started out as Big Cat Diary in 1996 and later became Big Cat Week had a dubious upgrade this year to Big Cat Live (5-10 October BBC1), coming to us nightly from a camp in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve.

So this was essentially Autumnwatch in Africa. On presenting duties, Simon King got boyishly excited every time we saw live night-time footage. "This is live, ladies and gentlemen, let me assure you: this is happening as I speak!" he'd say, as if historic events were unfolding, as if we were witnessing the Hindenburg disaster or the Moon landings. Cut to black-and-white footage of a lioness's bum loping away from the camera. "Fantastic stuff," sighed King.

It didn't help that the live footage was in "night-vision", ie monochrome. The whole joy of Big Cat used to be revelling in the colours of the sun-baked savannah from the depths of a damp winter evening. This time we got nature grey in tooth and claw.

Kate Silverton, parachuted in to act as anchor, developed a bizarre therapy-speak to discuss wild predators. Shakira, or "our cheetah mum" as she called her, got the most psychoanalysis, particularly over some cubs she'd lost. Silverton asked, "And would Shakira look for closure on whether those cubs be dead or alive?" Closure? She's a cheetah, Kate, not a character from Ally McBeal.

Joining Silverton around the campfire was Jonathan Scott, a man so heartfelt and passionate about every single thing he'd ever seen, you had to wonder how he didn't faint. Johnny, dear, dear Johnny, said everything with such feeling, he could make a bus timetable sound like Keats.

Meanwhile, the big cats got on with lazing around and slaying the odd herbivore, oblivious to the cameras. Luckily they provided moments so captivating that all the gushing commentary in the world couldn't spoil them. A leopard simply draped over a branch, fluffy cheetah cubs bundling through the grass, a lioness facing down hyenas - beat that, Bill Oddie.

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Comments

  • Posted on 17 August 2009
  • at 3:17pm
  • by Tazmin

I think big cat live woz rubbish. It was not the normal BCD where u see them more personal. Kate Silverton woz so in-exeperincend it made it pain ful to watch. They didnt focus on the family's. I think Jackson was a gd addition as he lives there and deals with this every day. I love the Maasai MAra and have visited it many time because i have lived in Kenya but BCLive was a HUGE DISAPOINTMENT!!!!

  • Posted on 29 October 2008
  • at 11:08am
  • by meghan

loved it , worth the licience fee alone, . all the sniping and petty comments cant disguise the sheer magic of this.the best big cat yet, i loved the new format my friends too. only problem , a whole year to wait for the next.

  • Posted on 24 October 2008
  • at 12:57am
  • by Kathryn

Does anyone know why Saba didn't present BCD this year?

  • Posted on 20 October 2008
  • at 9:13am
  • by Tom

Did anyone else find Kate Silverton's inexperienced commentary irritating and patronising, especially towards Jackson? She seemed to ask questions and then cut in halfway through with her own answers, giving the immpresion that she was obviously not listening. Amateur.

  • Posted on 16 October 2008
  • at 4:48pm
  • by Keith Paterson

…the big cats were magnificent, while the night-time filming was innovative and will only get better. Simon King, Jonathan Scott and [Masai Mara guide] Jackson Looseyia were knowledgeable and informative - Jackson was under-used.

  • Posted on 16 October 2008
  • at 4:45pm
  • by George Hill

…the new series was a weak parody of the already failing Springwatch format, with its endless chatter and repetition. Was it necessary to establish a pseudo-safari camp with its dangerous fire, and have the programme presented by a script-reading newsreader who made no contribution whatsoever?

  • Posted on 16 October 2008
  • at 4:41pm
  • by Bryn James

Kate Silverton, whom I normally admire, is no match for the experience of Saba Douglas-Hamilton; the experts spent more time enthusing about their new technology than the animals; the final straw was the corny use of pop music, chosen for the use of the word "chase" when we're watching a chase, etc. If the aim is to attract new viewers, it will be at the expense of losing the series' loyal followers.

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