![\"Steve](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1_SB1JPG.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA presenter and explorer had to move fast to avoid a potentially dangerous animal encounter<\/p>\n
Steve Backshall has made a show about hippos(Image: Channel 5 screengrab)<\/p>\n
Steve Backshall had a “dangerously close encounter” as he filmed a series about hippos.<\/p>\n
The naturalist and explorer<\/a> got up close to the animals while making Hippo Watch with Steve Backshall, which can be viewed on Channel 5<\/a>. But a clip shared on Instagram<\/a> showed some of the hippos getting a bit too interested in the camera crew as they shot scenes in South Africa, with Steve exclaiming: “They’re coming our way!”<\/p>\n The clip, captioned “Dangerously close encounter with hippos”, showed Steve and his crew in the water, filming a group of hippos nearby.<\/p>\n “Even on waters where hippos are familiar with boats and people, beware of hippos who break away from their group,” the voiceover warned.<\/p>\n Looking over at the animals, Steve spotted some movement and told viewers: “Oh, he’s standing up and having a good close look at me. Look at that! Spy hopping right up out of the water.<\/p>\n The star thought the hippos had spotted him(Image: Channel 5 screengrab)<\/p>\n “OK guys, keep a very close eye on him, yeah? Two of them are splintered off from the pod, and they’re looking right at me. Three. Three of them now. And definitely curious.”<\/p>\n As the hippos started to move through the water, he exclaimed: “I think those two are coming our way. No? Yeah, they are. Look, they’re coming our way!”<\/p>\n Someone in the film crew was then heard telling the team: “OK guys, they’re moving now, come on.”<\/p>\n Steve waded hastily back to the boat, admitting: “We’re getting very close.”<\/p>\n The voiceover noted that it was “definitely time to leave”, continuing: “You can never get complacent around these animals, and should always err on the side of caution.”<\/p>\n Steve Backshall had to head back to his boat(Image: Channel 5 screengrab)<\/p>\n The Instagram caption said: “Wrong place. Wrong time. @backshall.steve finds himself dangerously close to a hippo that\u2019s broken from the pack… One wrong move could be fatal.”<\/p>\n The series has gone down a storm with viewers, with one posting on Instagram: “Phenomenal documentary.” “Fantastic, thoroughly enjoyed this,” said someone else, as another said it was “incredible” viewing.<\/p>\n “Very interesting,” posted another impressed viewer. “Steve, you\u2019re quite literally my childhood role model,” commented another fan, adding: “So awesome to see all of this content.”<\/p>\n![\"Hippo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0_SB3JPG.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Hippo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1_SBJPG.jpg\")
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