Mark Evans (TV presenter)

Mark Evans
Residence Guildford, Surrey
Education Warwick School
Alma mater Royal Veterinary College
Occupation
  • Veterinary Surgeon
  • Television Presenter
  • Producer
  • Author
  • Amateur Engineer
Known for
Spouse(s) Sarah
Children 2 sons
Website
Website

Mark Evans is an English veterinary surgeon turned television presenter.

Early and personal life

Educated at Warwick School, Evans failed his A Levels the first time due to completing restoration work on a Triumph Herald 1360 convertible.[1] He graduated from the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London,[2] where he won the silver medal for his surgical skills,[1] and also met his wife Sarah.[3] The couple have two sons, and live in Guildford, Surrey.[2][3]

Veterinarian

Evans developed his career in private veterinary practise, mainly with dogs, cats and horses at Yew Tree practise in the Surrey Hills.[1] He has written 12 books on animal care and welfare. He was the RSPCA's chief veterinary advisor between 2007 and 2010, causing some controversy in August 2008 after branding show dogs and dog shows as a "parade of mutants", resulting in the RSPCA withdrawing its support that year to the annual Crufts dog show.[4]

Television

Evan's television career started in 1990 when he complained about an item on TV-am that made fun of fat pets, and was invited as a guest on the show giving advice to the owner of an obese cat.

In 1994, Evans was offered a partnership in a large veterinary practise, or to help develop a new animal-rescue based television series with Endemol. Concluding that he could save more animals in three minutes on television than in a life of service as a vet, he developed the format for Pet Rescue on Channel 4, becoming both presenter and an Associate producer.[3]

Evans has since presented over 1,000 shows,[5] including shows based around pets, gardens, children's television and vehicles. In 2000 he founded Jungle TV, which has since co-produced all of his subsequent productions.[2]

Animals

Evans has worked as a presenter and producer on several animal television shows including Pet Rescue and Inside Nature's Giants.

In 2013, Evans hosted a one-off documentary for Channel 4 called Dogs: Their Secret Lives. A full series followed, beginning on 19 August 2014, as well as a one-off live episode and a revisited episode, both airing in 2014.

In September 2014, Evans began hosting Operation Maneater, a three-part series for Channel 4. It was revealed that, during the filming, Evans had been clipped by a crocodile, leaving him with a split lip and broken teeth. Evans said "For the last 10 months, I haven't been able to bite using my front teeth so have had to tear my food into chunks to eat".[6]

Engineering

In 1999, Evans co-devised the workshop-based "Is Born" format for Discovery Networks Europe. Since then, he has co-produced and presented ten series for Discovery Home & Leisure (now Discovery Real Time) and are often repeated on Discovery's Quest channel. The shows have transmitted in over 70 countries around the world.

He also co-devised and presented Dream Machines - a vehicle restoration series on Channel 5.

Filmography

Year Title Channel Role Notes
1995
Animal Detective
BBC One
Presenter Award-winning segment on Good Morning
1996–1997
Absolutely Animals
Channel 4
Presenter 16 episodes
Wildlife Rescue Presenter 16 episodes
1996–1999
Pet Rescue
Channel 4
  • Presenter
  • Associate producer
  • Format creator
351 episodes
1999
Barking Mad
  • Presenter
  • Associate producer
24 episodes
2000
Hi-Tech Vets
  • Narrator
  • Executive producer
  • Format creator
15 episodes
2001–2002
Question of Squawk, AA Question of Squawk
A Celebrity Question of Squawk
Animal Planet
  • Presenter
  • Executive producer
  • Format creator
16 episodes
2009–2012
Inside Nature's Giants Presenter 18 episodes - Multi-award winning including BAFTA
2011
Hippo: Nature's Wild Feast Presenter Live multi platform event from Zambia nominated for 3 Panda Awards 2012
2012
War Horses: The Real Story Presenter Documentary
2012
Foxes Live: Wild in the City
Channel 4
Presenter 6 episode live multi platform event
2013—
Dogs: Their Secret Lives
Channel 4
Presenter 6 episodes
2014
Operation Maneater
Channel 4
Presenter 3 episodes

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Portrait of a driver - Mark Evans". Daily Telegraph. 4 May 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Mark Evans - Vet/Broadcaster/TV Producer/Writer". LinkedIn. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "I HOUSED ANIMALS BEFORE MY FAMILY". Daily Mirror. 31 October 1997. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  4. "Mark Evans leaves the RSPCA". OurDogs.co.uk. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  5. Introduction to Mark’s Television Work, MarkEvans.co.uk

External links