Liz Bonnin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liz Bonnin
Bonnin in June 2018
Born	Elizabeth Bonnin (1976-09-16) 16 September 1976 (age 48) Paris, France
Citizenship	French citizenship and Irish citizenship
Education	Trinity College Dublin (BA) Royal Veterinary College (MSc)
Occupation	Television presenter
Years active	1999–present
Musical career
Origin	Paris, France
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Polydor

Elizabeth Bonnin, born on September 16, 1976, is a famous TV presenter. She is from both France and Ireland. Liz is well-known for hosting shows about science, wildlife, and nature.

She has worked on television in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In the early 2000s, she presented morning shows like RI:SE and music shows like Top of the Pops.

Liz is best known for her exciting wildlife and science programs. These include Galapagos, How the Earth Works, Animals in Love, and Stargazing Live. She also presented Blue Planet Live and Drowning In Plastic. From 2009 to 2014, she co-presented the BBC series Bang Goes the Theory. Since 2013, she has also co-presented Countrywise for ITV. Many people see her as one of Britain's top natural world presenters.

Early Life and Education

Liz Bonnin was born in Paris, France. Her mother was from Trinidad and Tobago, with Indian and Portuguese family roots. Her father was French-Martiniquan and worked as a dentist.

When Liz was nine years old, her family moved to Ireland. She went on to study at Trinity College Dublin. There, she earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry.

Later, Liz continued her studies. She earned a master's degree in wild animal biology and conservation in 2008. She got this degree from the Zoological Society of London and the Royal Veterinary College. For her master's project, she studied tigers in Nepal. Liz still helps with conservation programs for big cats at the Zoological Society of London.

Career in Television

Liz Bonnin started her career in music. She sang backing vocals for a band called The Pale. Later, she joined an Irish girl pop group called Chill. They signed with Polydor Records but broke up before releasing any music.

Liz was then offered a job hosting the IRMA Awards. This led to her becoming a presenter for RTÉ Television in Ireland. She worked on shows like The Den, Telly Bingo, and Millennium Eve: Celebrate 2000. For two years, she also co-presented Off the Rails.

In 2002, Liz moved to London. She began presenting on several TV channels there. She became one of the presenters for the Channel 4 morning show RI:SE. She focused on entertainment news for the show. In the same year, she also became a regular presenter on Top of the Pops in the UK.

Focus on Science and Wildlife

Since 2005, Liz Bonnin has focused on science broadcasting. She presented Gadgets, Gadgets, Gadgets in 2005. From 2009 to 2014, she co-presented the popular BBC science series Bang Goes the Theory on BBC One. She also helped with the BBC Two series Museum of Life. This show explored the work of the Natural History Museum in London.

In October 2010, Liz joined the team for Autumnwatch. In January 2011, she presented parts of BBC Two's Stargazing Live. She reported from different places in Hawaii, including the top of Mauna Kea. In May 2011, she co-presented Egypt's Lost Cities on BBC One.

Her program about animal intelligence, Super Smart Animals, was filmed in 2011. It was shown in February 2012. Liz has also presented several Horizon specials on BBC Two. These shows covered topics like the future of technology and whether zoos are good for animals.

In June 2013, she presented a two-part documentary called Operation Snow Tiger. She worked with scientists in Russia to study tigers. Since 2013, Liz has been a presenter for the ITV series Countrywise. In November 2013, she presented Animal Odd Couples on BBC One. She also co-presented How the Earth Works on the Discovery Channel in the USA.

In October 2014, she presented a three-part Horizon series about cats. In February 2015, she presented Animals in Love on BBC One. This two-part series looked at the emotional lives of animals like elephants, monkeys, and alligators.

In August 2015, Liz co-hosted Big Blue Live for BBC One. This series showed marine life in Monterey Bay, California. In early 2016, she returned to Stargazing Live. She reported from the European Space Agency's astronaut training center. She also co-presented Cats v Dogs: Which is Best? with Chris Packham on BBC Two.

On March 30, 2017, Liz began presenting a new BBC One series called Galapagos. This show explored the amazing species found on and around the Galapagos Islands. In July 2017, she co-presented Wild Alaska Live on BBC One. In 2018, Liz presented Drowning In Plastic for BBC One. This documentary looked at the serious problem of plastic pollution in the ocean. In 2020, she presented Penguins: Meet the Family.

In November 2023, she presented a four-part series for BBC Two. It was called Liz Bonnin's Wild Caribbean. The show explored the ecosystems and wildlife in the Caribbean. It also highlighted conservation efforts and how local communities connect with nature.

In January 2024, Liz joined a group of scientists in Wyoming, USA. They were looking for dinosaur fossils for the BBC Two show Secrets of the Jurassic Dinosaurs. In February 2024, Liz launched a podcast called 'Dead River'. It tells the story of the Mariana dam disaster in Brazil.

Personal Life

Liz Bonnin grew up with her older sister, Benni. She was very close to her grandmother, who passed away in 2003. Liz has moved back to London.

In 2016, Liz appeared on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, she traced her family history on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Martinique.

Liz Bonnin is a role model for EDF Energy's Pretty Curious program. This program encourages teenage girls to study science subjects in school. Liz's mother passed away in late 2020.

Filmography

Television