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RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

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  • RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

    Whilst we have two well-known stubbly-challenged gentleman who are making their mark in their own ways this December, (the two in question are obviously Father Christmas and Jeremy Corbyn), the news has just been announced of another famously bearded man, knowingly the botanist and broadcaster David Bellamy who has died at the age of 86. He was, probably, the most famous bearded celebrity of the 1980s, and one of the most impersonated as well.

    In Great Britain he was the "famous" David Bellamy unlike his namesake from the 1970s group The Bellamy Brothers, and he appeared in many TV series mostly connected to science, botany and similar subjects such as Bellamy's Backyard Safari, Don't Ask Me and Botanic Man. Bellamy was one main target on the comedians' impressions list, and even Lenny Henry on Tiswas did with a false candy floss stubble and doing a "mouth full" impersonation. He did remind me of a science teacher that I had when I was at school, and otherwise the similarity was coincidental.

    In light of the forthcoming General Election, it is also worth noting the fact that Bellamy actually stood in 1997 for the Referendum Party against the then incumbent Prime Minister John Major in Huntingdon, and became one of the few candidates to save his deposit of 5.5%. One could imagine him being associated with the Green Party or some other left-wing moment - when I wrote to him for an autograph in the late 1990s he was in charge of an organisation called Population Concern.

    Bellamy appeared in so many series mostly scientific, but some notable TV appearances including two episodes of Grange Hill in 1984 where the fifth formers go on a UN weekend - Bellamy appeared as himself chairing a mock conference, and he also got an honourable mention in an episode in the previous series. Also for the children's TV slot, he presented the Yorkshire TV botanical series Bellamy's Bugle where he sat in his office in front of his computer while documenting on green and rural issues - I do remember one episode which excited me and was shown one Friday in around 1986-1987 but it doesn't seem to be one of the few episodes seen on YouTube.

    In 1993 he appeared in the commercial breaks advertising Dettox spray, showing viewers how it cleans kitchens and worktops, and I believe that he appeared in other commercials over the years as well. He used his persona quite well to make viewers trust him and understand what points he was actually getting across - something that doesn't happen very much with modern TV presenters these days. I believe that he would have made an excellent lecturer on botany for the Royal Institution for their annual Christmas lectures.

    I know it's a cliché, but he is another person from our childhoods who has also sadly gone.
    Last edited by George 1978; 06-02-2021, 04:42.
    I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
    There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
    I'm having so much fun
    My lucky number's one
    Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

  • #2
    Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

    Always found his presentation style entertaining and of course informative, yes he was an impressionists dream...R I P David bellamy
    Ejector seat?...your jokin!

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    • #3
      Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

      I thought he came from the North of England but he was born in London, although a couple of the North East areas on BBC News mention Bellamy's passing as some of his organisations were based there, I think.

      He also appeared in a Heinz Baked Beans advert in around 1989 which was the other advert I was thinking of - that campaign that Heinz had which shows youngsters growing into adult celebrities? Cilla Black and I think that Steve Davis were two others who were featured.

      I wasn't surprised to hear Bill Oddie paying tribute considering that Oddie and Bellamy were very similar as to what they were both well-known for - I wonder whether John Major will pay tribute considering that Bellamy stood against him in Huntingdon at the 1997 (dare I say it, again on a day like this?) General Election?
      I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
      There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
      I'm having so much fun
      My lucky number's one
      Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

        Really very sad to hear another well known face for many of us growing up.
        R i p david.


        T b h i thought he had died a long time ago.
        But dying so close to christmas day maxes it xtra sad.
        FOR THE HONOUR OF GRAYSKULL

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        • #5
          Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

          Originally posted by George 1978 View Post
          I thought he came from the North of England but he was born in London, although a couple of the North East areas on BBC News mention Bellamy's passing as some of his organisations were based there, I think.

          He also appeared in a Heinz Baked Beans advert in around 1989 which was the other advert I was thinking of - that campaign that Heinz had which shows youngsters growing into adult celebrities? Cilla Black and I think that Steve Davis were two others who were featured.

          I wasn't surprised to hear Bill Oddie paying tribute considering that Oddie and Bellamy were very similar as to what they were both well-known for - I wonder whether John Major will pay tribute considering that Bellamy stood against him in Huntingdon at the 1997 (dare I say it, again on a day like this?) General Election?
          David Bellamy lived in Durham City for a good while in the 70s not far from me, he was a professor at the University. Later he moved out into the County Durham countryside near to Hamsterley Forest.
          The only thing to look forward to is the past

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          • #6
            Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

            I remember watching a programme presented by David Bellamy, we were at school and the programme warned us about the dangers of smoking, it showed us some graphic pictures too of smoke damaged lungs and tongue, it certainly stuck in my mind as I've never smoked.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

              Originally posted by HG View Post
              David Bellamy lived in Durham City for a good while in the 70s not far from me, he was a professor at the University. Later he moved out into the County Durham countryside near to Hamsterley Forest.
              I thought there was a northern connection somewhere.
              I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
              There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
              I'm having so much fun
              My lucky number's one
              Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

                I enjoyed watching the shows that David Bellamy presented. There was so much enthusiasm in his discussions.
                Incidently, Lenny Henry use to do a fantastic impersonation of David Bellamy. I think it may have been in the Tiswas series.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

                  Very sad to hear of David Bellamy's passing. He was a very entertaining presenter, full of energy and enthusiasm, and got over his subject so well. I am sure that he opened up so many people's eyes to the wonders of nature all around us. RIP David Bellamy.

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                  • #10
                    Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

                    Originally posted by Danniella View Post
                    I remember watching a programme presented by David Bellamy, we were at school and the programme warned us about the dangers of smoking, it showed us some graphic pictures too of smoke damaged lungs and tongue, it certainly stuck in my mind as I've never smoked.
                    My mother passed away exactly 20 years from lung cancer as a result of smoking - if she had watched it herself, I doubt that the points that it was trying to get across would have got through to her. PSE lessons used to be about that sort of thing - the dangers of smoking and the threat of lung cancer, just like that ant-drugs episode of Minder was.
                    I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
                    There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
                    I'm having so much fun
                    My lucky number's one
                    Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

                      Originally posted by George 1978 View Post
                      My mother passed away exactly 20 years from lung cancer as a result of smoking - if she had watched it herself, I doubt that the points that it was trying to get across would have got through to her. PSE lessons used to be about that sort of thing - the dangers of smoking and the threat of lung cancer, just like that ant-drugs episode of Minder was.
                      Sorry you lost your mother George.
                      I lost my dad 13yrs ago to the same disease, it had spread to his kidneys, he was dead within 5 days of being diagnosed.
                      On a lighter note i have another 7 Christmas cards! ☺

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: RIP David Bellamy - TV presenter and botanist

                        Originally posted by Danniella View Post
                        Sorry you lost your mother George.
                        I lost my dad 13yrs ago to the same disease, it had spread to his kidneys, he was dead within 5 days of being diagnosed.
                        On a lighter note i have another 7 Christmas cards! ☺
                        It was 20 years ago now, and losing one's mother at such a young age can have so much impact, but I have got used to it now.

                        The moral of the story is "don't smoke" - never mind the Chancellor the Exchequer putting another 10p on a packet of Benson and Hedges on every Budget day - the fact of the matter is that rich people can still buy them from shops and still get cancer from having 30 a day for 40 years. We don't live too long as it is, so why abuse the time that we already have by polluting one's heart, lungs and kidneys?
                        I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
                        There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
                        I'm having so much fun
                        My lucky number's one
                        Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

                        Comment

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