Steve Leonard

Infobox Celebrity


image_size = 150px
name = Stephen Leonard
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birth_date = 1972
birth_place = Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
death_date =
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occupation = Veterinarian, Wildlife presenter
height = 6' (1.83 m)
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children =
website =
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Stephen "Steve" Leonard (b. 4 September 1972, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland) is a British veterinarian and television personality.

Early life

Leonard's family moved to Cheshire, from Northern Ireland, when he was six weeks old.

Family

Steve Leonard studied veterinary science at Bristol University Veterinary School. His father and three brothers also studied veterinary science. fact|date=November 2007 He is very reluctant to discuss his private life, and his current relationship status is unknown.

Career

In Leonard's final year of his degree, the BBC approached the college to gain permission to film a selection of final-year students. Originally viewing the potential TV appearance as "a bit of a laugh", he agreed to participate in the filming. The resulting series, "Vets' School", was a huge success, and was swiftly followed up by "Vets In Practice". He went on to present "Vets In The Wild" with Trude Mostue, while holding down a full-time job at a veterinary practice in Lancaster.

He quit full-time veterinary employment in September 1999 after three years in Lancaster and found himself travelling all over the world with the BBC Natural History Unit, filming for "Ultimate Killers". He travelled to places as far away as Indonesia and India. Filming "Ultimate Killers" involved stunts, such as tandem skydiving out of a balloon at 10,000 feet over Spain and climbing into an eagle's aerie in Panama.

Steve Leonard also presented "Extreme Animals" and, in 2004, "Animal Camera" which took an intimate look at the animal kingdom through cutting edge miniature camera filming techniques. More recently, he explored the origins and evolution of life on Earth in "Journey of Life" for BBC1 and is already busy on his next projects, "Incredible Journeys" and "Jaws in Britain", both with the Natural History Unit.

Currently

Steve and Tom (an elder brother) Leonard are currently working at the Leonard Brothers Veterinary Centre in Whitchurch, Shropshire. During the programme 'Return to Vets in Practice' shown in July 2008, Steve explained that he had decided to return to veterinary practice full-time, and fit his filming commitments around this.

elected filmography

*"Orang-utan Diary" (2007)
*"Journey of Life" (2005)
*"Spy on the Wild" (2004)
*"Search for Loch Ness" (2003)
*"Animal Camera" (2003)
*"Steve Leonard's Extreme Animals" (2002)
*"Vets In The Wild West" (2001)
*"Polar Bear Special" (2000)
*"Steve Leonard's Ultimate Killers" (1999-2001)
*"Vets In The Wild" (1998-1999)
*"Holiday" (1997)
*"Vets In Practice" (1996-2000)
*"Vets' School" (1996)

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/programmes/who/steve_leonard.shtml BBC - Science and Nature - Steve Leonard]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1035656/ IMDb Profile]
* [http://www.steveleonard.co.uk/ Steve Leonard Official Website]