Eco-activist David Suzuki says he will retire next spring from his long-running post as host of CBC’s “The Nature of Things.”
The 86-year-old environmentalist and science broadcaster announced the plan last night during an interview with Ian Hanomansing on CBC’s “The National.”
Suzuki began hosting the series exactly 43 years ago on Oct. 24, 1979 and says it’s time for a new host to bring “fresher, more imaginative input.”
CBC says its plans after Suzuki leaves will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
A 62nd season of “The Nature of Things” launches Jan. 6, 2023 on CBC TV and CBC Gem.
Suzuki’s final episode is set to air in the spring.
“I have been fortunate to have been endowed with good health which has enabled me to remain the host of the series long after my ‘best before date’,” Suzuki said in a CBC press release issued late Sunday.
“Aging is a natural biological process that creates opportunity for fresher, more imaginative input from younger people and for years, I have warned that to ensure the continuation of ‘The Nature of Things,’ we must prepare for the transition when I leave. That moment is now.”
CBC executive vice president Barbara Williams said Suzuki leaves an “indelible legacy.”
“David has made science more accessible to countless viewers in Canada and around the world, finding new ways to demystify our complex world and illustrate how the future of humanity and the natural world cannot be separated — long before climate change became a hot topic,” Williams said in the release.
Suzuki joined the CBC in 1971 with the TV series, “Suzuki on Science.” In 1974, he developed and hosted the long-running popular radio program “Quirks and Quarks,” and several more TV specials followed.
His position as one of Canada’s most popular personalities was forged in 1979 when he took over as host of “The Nature of Things.” As testament to his broad appeal, the science magazine was renamed “The Nature of Things with David Suzuki” and doubled in length from its original half-hour format.
—The Canadian Press
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