Presenter lolo Williams will be returning to BBC’s Winterwach in the upcoming series after suffering a heart attack. Last year, the 61-year-old was forced to pull out of Springwatch after complications arose following him getting a stent fitted.
However, the popular host is set to join Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan at the RSPB Arne in Dorset for the first time since 2017 to film the wildlife show. For four nights, lolo will be filming the live shows as he showcases nature within the area.
Meanwhile, Gillian Burke will share footage from Scotland’s Orkney Islands. BBC viewers will be able to watch the new series from January 16 and can expect to see a range of animals from eagles, ravens, badgers and foxes.
Speaking about the upcoming Winterwatch show, lolo said: “This series we can look forward to seeing Arne at its brilliant, best. Winter in and around Arne is a fantastic time.
“Some of the summer highlights are not there, the nightjars have gone back down to Africa. A lot of the reptiles will have disappeared underground into hibernation. But the shallow lagoons and the harbour there just come into their own now because it’ll be alive with thousands of waders and wildfowl. And that’s what I’m looking forward to seeing more than anything else.”
His return to the BBC wildlife show comes after the 61-year-old detailed a terrifying health scare he had while on a walk in the middle of the countryside in Wales.
The host suddenly fell ill and suffered pains in his chest, which he instantly identified as a heart attack.
Alone in the wild, Iolo was a mile and half away from his car and phone and had to endure the journey in pain before calling for help.
Admitting the feeling came like a bolt out of the blue, he told The Mirror: “I walked on, crouched a little bit every now and again when the pain got a little bit worse.
“Got to my car, phoned for an ambulance and they said it would be 90-odd minutes.
“So my wife, Ceri, came down, drove me to hospital and from then on I was in the hands of the NHS. They were superb.”
In the spring of 2023, Iolo told his followers he was unable to return to Springwatch due to having a stent fitted.
However, the operation caused complications as it released a clot which had caused an embolism.
The wildlife star shared he was unable to put his seatbelt on when getting into the car to film for the BBC series.
He remembers: “I couldn’t understand why. The driver was asking what’s the matter and I couldn’t communicate.
“So they rushed me to hospital 10 minutes away and injected some high-level aspirin in liquid form.”
However, it looks as though Iolo is in good health as he’s back fronting the BBC show later this month.
Winterwatch returns to BBC Two from Tuesday, January 16 at 8pm.