TV Science Explorer, Animal Expert, Former RSPCA Chief Veterinary Advisor, & Won a BAFTA for ‘Inside Nature’s Giants’

Dr Mark Evans is a multifaceted TV presenter. The former RSPCA chief vet is a well-known animal expert and natural history front man, both here and in the US. DIY don and an accomplished mechanic he has over 100 hit engineering shows; even building his own helicopter! His colourful TV career has seen him dissecting a polar bear on the Arctic sea ice; electro-ejaculating a wild bull elephant to collect a semen sample; and he’s probably the first person to have climbed into an orangutan nest… 200 feet off the jungle floor. Not surprisingly, he’s been in some scrapes, including a fracas with a crocodile – and has the scars to prove it.

However, it was in 2015 that Mark was granted exclusive access to Jaguar. In the 1960’s Jaguar made 12 special cars, known as the Lightweight E-Types, because they were lighter than regular E-Types. Lighter, faster, more expensive, better. Today these cars change hands for up to £5m.

Now Jaguar craftsmen were to create six brand new Lightweight E-Types, costing over £1 million each and going to specially-chosen customers.

The whole project was filmed for a Channel 4 documentary and Mark Evans being a huge fan of the E-Type was the obvious choice for presenter.

Born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, by age 11 his obsession with machines saw him servicing the family cars. Instilled with a powerful work ethic and natural ability he helped with the family electrical and plumbing business and grafted on farms throughout school holidays. Mark passed his tractor test (a major milestone) and he dreamt of becoming a farmer. With no means he started thinking about a veterinary career instead.

Despite failing to get into vet school the first time round (car restoration got the better of him) he knuckled down and attended The Royal Veterinary College. He graduated with a distinction and won the prestigious Formston medal for surgery.

It was a call that changed his career and his life. TVam aired a piece poking fun at overweight pets, to which Mark complained. Mark was aware that animal obesity was fast becoming a serious epidemic and due to his respected position as an animal welfare campaigner the producers took notice. Mark was invited onto the show as their resident pet expert.
Over the past 20 years, since his unconventional introduction to television, Mark has presented, created and produced shows, documentaries and live, interactive events covering a diverse range of subjects. They’ve been shown all over the world via the likes of BBC, Channel 4, Discovery Channel and PBS.

2007 saw Mark appointed as the RSPCA’s Chief Veterinary Advisor. His position led him to conceive and front the organisation’s high-profile campaign against irresponsible dog breeding. This movement provoked a Government enquiry and resulted in the BBC dropping its coverage of Crufts after 40 years. Mark admits that this ban of Crufts is a proud career moment for him, along with winning the BAFTA for Inside Nature’s Giants – 18 extraordinary films from around the world exploring the evolution of massive creatures, past and present, via detailed autopsies.

When he’s not streaming live footage from Zambia or generating Channel 4’s second biggest web traffic surge in history (Foxes Live) he can be found tinkering with old cars and even built his childhood dream – a Land Rover – from scratch with salvaged parts. And yes, it was filmed for TV. Helicopters, Landies, super-trikes: Evans is a proper petrolhead.

Finally, if an extra spare few minutes crop up (yeah, right!) he squeezes in a bit of sailing, tennis and hiking – the wilder the better. He also likes to spend time with his wife, Sarah, and his two sons Fin and Jake. And he’s desperate to renew his [now lapsed] pilot’s licence.

Why Hire Mark Evans?