Jess French

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Jess French
Jess French.jpg
French in 2006
Education Norwich School, University College London, University of Nottingham
Occupation(s)Television presenter, veterinarian, author
Notable workMinibeast Adventure with Jess

Jess French is a British television personality, veterinarian and author. She is the presenter of a television programme called Minibeast Adventure with Jess which has aired on CBeebies. [1] French is also a best-selling children's author [2] and a regular contributor to science, music and literary festivals such as Hay Festival, Edinburgh festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Bath Festival of Children's Literature, Latitude and Norwich Science Festival and printed press such as The Guardian , BBC Wildlife, The Week. She is a patron of Norwich Science Festival and children's ambassador for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

French has lived across the world, from Chile to Thailand. She grew up in Norfolk [4] and studied at Norwich School. [5] She gained a first class degree in zoology at University College London [6] [7] where she was active in the volunteering department, winning awards for her work teaching children about conservation [8] and for setting up a sign language society. [9] She has studied primates across the world and has a particular interest in gorillas. [10] She gained her degree in veterinary medicine and surgery from the University of Nottingham and she now works as a small animal and zoo vet. [11] [12] [13] She can speak fluent Spanish and can use British Sign Language. [6]

TV career

French has worked on a number of shows as a wildlife (in particular creepy-crawly) expert including, Live 'n' Deadly (CBBC), Deadly Mission Madagascar (CBBC), Springwatch (BBC) and Micro Monsters 3D (Sky). [6] Since April 2014 she has presented a series of twenty 9-minute episodes of Minibeast Adventure with Jess on the CBeebies channel. [11] [7] [12] She has also appeared on The Pets Factor, [14] BBC Breakfast, [15] Sunday Brunch and Springwatch as well as presenting live lessons for BBC Teach. [16] In December 2022, French appeared alongside Ken Follett, Ria Lina and Susan Collins (artist) on the University Challenge Christmas special, representing University College London. [17]

Radio

French co-presents a radio series with Ben Garrod for BBC Radio 4 called Wild Inside, in which she carries out post mortem examinations on exotic species and discusses her findings. She has also appeared on Saturday Live, the Infinite Monkey Cage, [18] [19] and a number of other podcasts and radio shows.

On 12 August 2019, she appeared on the podcast Trees A Crowd with David Oakes. [20]

Books

French is one of the UK's top-selling authors of non-fiction books for children. She usually writes on the theme of animals, nature and the environment. In August 2020 she released her debut picture book. Her middle grade fantasy series, Beastlands, was developed into an animated immersive experience at Chester Zoo. She also acts as a judge for book awards such as The Week Junior Book Awards, [21] The Wainwright Prize [22]

French was one of the 2021 World Book Day authors, with her title 'Protect the Planet', published by DK (publisher). [23]

Awards

French won the Jane Goodall Global Youth Leadership award in 2010 for setting up a program to teach children about environmental issues. [6] [51]

In 2015, French was named number 43 on BBC Wildlife magazine's Power List of conservation heroes. [52]

French's book 'Fluttering Minibeast Adventures' was nominated for the 2017 ALCS Educational Writers' Award. [53]

In 2022, French's book 'Earth's Incredible Oceans' won a Gold Nautilus Award [54] and 'It's a Wonderful World' was named 'Top Value Toy' in the 2022 Right Start awards.

References

  1. ↑ "Vet student makes CBEEBIES big time". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Twitter https://twitter.com/zoologist_jess/status/1122231346838081538 . Retrieved 29 September 2020.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ "Jess French: The bug girl". Great British Life. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Nottingham student is new face of CBeebies". Nottingham Post. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Norwich School – ON Jess French presents a new show about creepy crawly pets on CBeebies". norwich-school.org.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Jess French". Bath Literary Agency. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 "ON Jess French presents a new show about creepy crawly pets on CBeebies". Norwich School. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Student volunteers scoop award for school project". University College London. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "UCLU Sign Language Society". UCLU. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Falconer |, Daniel (18 April 2014). "Jess French exclusive interview: Minibeast Adventure". www.femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Vet student makes CBEEBIES big time". University of Nottingham. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  12. 1 2 Falconer, Daniel (18 April 2014). "Jess French exclusive interview: Minibeast Adventure". Female First. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  13. ↑ "Jess French on BBC Breakfast". Kindle Entertainment. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015– via Vimeo.
  14. ↑ "The Pets Factor – Pets Fact-or-Not: Golden Cat". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  15. ↑ Entertainment, Kindle (25 April 2014), Jess French on BBC Breakfast , retrieved 29 September 2020
  16. ↑ "BBC Bitesize - BBC Teach Live Lessons, Series 5, British Science Week 2024". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  17. ↑ "BBC Two - University Challenge, Christmas 2022, UCL v University of Aberdeen". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  18. ↑ "The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 29 - Cats v Dogs - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  19. ↑ "The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 30 - 'Beastly Bodies' Kids Special - Steve Backshall, Jess French and Adam Kay - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  20. ↑ Trees A Crowd
  21. ↑ "Home". www.theweekjuniorbookawards.co.uk. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "Judges". Wainwright Prize. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "Protect the Planet". World Book Day. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  24. 1 2 Eyre, Charlotte (8 April 2015). "Egmont signs CBeebies presenter". The Book Seller. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  25. ↑ "Tickly Minibeast Adventures – Egmont". egmont.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  26. ↑ French, Jess (5 May 2016). Jess French – Born Free Chimp Rescue – Hachette Children's Group. Hachette Children's. ISBN   9781510100534 . Retrieved 25 April 2016.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  27. ↑ French, Jess (15 May 2019). Jess French – Born Free Bear Rescue – Hachette Children's Group. Hachette Children's. ISBN   9781510100756.
  28. 1 2 3 "Amazon.co.uk: Jess French: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle". Amazon.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  29. ↑ "National Trust: How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  30. ↑ "Saving Species". North Somerset Teachers' Book Award. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  31. ↑ What a Waste. ISBN   978-1-4654-8141-2 . Retrieved 29 September 2020.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  32. ↑ French, Jess (15 May 2019). Lost Species. Hachette Children's. ISBN   9781526361370.
  33. ↑ French, Jess (27 February 2020). The Book of Brilliant Bugs. Claire McElfatrick. DK Children.
  34. ↑ French, Jess; Kuijl, Eefje (6 August 2020). Slow Down, Monkey!. Buster Books.
  35. ↑ French, Jess. Let's Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference. Alexander Mostov.
  36. ↑ French, Jess. Earth's Incredible Oceans. Claire McElfatrick. ASIN   0241459141 .
  37. ↑ "Cat Chat". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  38. ↑ "How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  39. ↑ "Puppy Talk". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  40. ↑ "It's a Wonderful World by Jess French: 9780744050189 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  41. ↑ "Bella Loves Bugs: Volume 2 : Jess French : 9780711265608". www.bookdepository.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  42. ↑ "Billy Loves Birds: Volume 1 : Jess French : 9780711265561". www.bookdepository.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  43. ↑ "Andy McNab leaves Transworld for 'significant long-term partnership' with Welbeck". The Bookseller. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  44. ↑ French, Jess (20 April 2023). Ava Loves Rescuing Animals. Happy Yak. ISBN   978-0-7112-6771-8.
  45. ↑ French, Jess (6 April 2023). Pets and Their People: The Ultimate Guide to Caring For Animals – Whether You Have One or Not!. DK Children. ISBN   978-0-241-58508-5.
  46. ↑ "Piccadilly Press bags fantasy adventure trilogy from TV presenter and zoologist French". The Bookseller. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  47. ↑ "The Animal Body Book". dkbooks. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  48. ↑ French, Jess (8 May 2024). Around the World in 80 Endangered Animals. Hachette Children's. ISBN   978-1-80453-763-3.
  49. ↑ Beastlands: Legend of the Crystal Caves.
  50. ↑ BUG SNACKS | Kirkus Reviews.
  51. ↑ "Jane Goodall Global Leadership Awards 2010". The Jane Goodall Institute. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  52. ↑ Price, Jo (26 June 2015). "UK's top 50 conservation heroes". Discover Wildlife. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  53. ↑ "ALCS | 2017 Educational Writers' Award: CODES & INVENTIONS & ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL". alcs.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  54. ↑ "Nautilus Winners – Nautilus Book Awards" . Retrieved 31 May 2022.
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