BAFTA Cymru nomination for biosciences expert

TV presenter, wildlife specialist and Cardiff University lecturer Dr Rhys Jones has been nominated for a British Academy Cymru Award (BAFTA Cymru).

Dr Rhys Jones has been shortlisted in the category Best Presenter with his series 'Rhys Jones' Wildlife Patrol'.

Rhys has presented many BBC television series including two series of 'Rhys to the Rescue', Chris Packham's 'Nature's Calendar' and contributed to Sir David Attenborough's 'Saving Planet Earth'. He has also been a regular presenter at the Royal Welsh Show with BBC Wales for six years. His latest BBC national series 'Rhys Jones's Wildlife Patrol' attracted an audience of more than 12 million viewers across the UK.

In the latest season of his series Rhys helped to save a snake driven out of its usual habitat by a mountain fire and investigated the suspicious death of a young otter in the Brecon Beacons. He regularly introduces viewers to his work at Cardiff University and involves colleagues and students in the School of Biosciences.

Ian Durham, the producer of 'Rhys Jones' Wildlife Patrol' describes working with Dr Rhys Jones, he said: "it's kind of like Batman and Robin, but without the costumes - or the cool car. There's never a dull moment making Wildlife Patrol with Dr Jones – be it filming the insides of a 4,000 year old mummified snake, or trying to keep up on a police raid".

Commenting on his nomination Dr Jones said: "I actually found out that I had been BAFTA Cymru-nominated whilst researching in Egypt. I was utterly speechless when my Series Producer Ian Durham broke the news to me over the telephone. It's such an honour to have made the shortlist and I feel truly humbled. I honestly never dreamed to find myself in such a privileged position"

The 23rd Annual British Academy Cymru Awards will be taking place on Sunday 26 October 2014 in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. Other nominees in the Best Presenter category include Griff Rhys Jones in 'A Great Welsh Adventure with Griff Rhys Jones' and Ifor ap Glyn in 'Pagans and Pilgrims: Britain's Holiest Places'.

Currently, Dr Rhys Jones is shooting the 3rd season of 'Rhys Jones' Wildlife Patrol' which will air in spring 2015.

Cardiff University is a sponsor of the British Academy Cymru Awards.