Naturalist and long-running presenter of TV sheepdog trials

Phil Drabble, who died on July 29 2007, was a Black Country naturalist and long-running presenter of the popular BBC2 series ‘One Man And His Dog.’ Mr 

Drabble provided commentary on sheepdog trials for the much-loved programme for 17 years from 1976 until he retired in 1993, saying it had become “a bit boring watching dogs chase stroppy sheep round a field.”

Sadly for its small number of devoted fans, the BBC agreed and axed the show soon afterwards – but he will nevertheless be remembered as the man who brought the countryside into the homes of viewers for nearly two decades.

He was also an accomplished journalist and writer, with a regular column in the Birmingham Evening Mail.

Phillip Drabble was born on 13 May 1914 in the British Midlands. His mother died when he was young, and he was raised by his GP father in Bloxwich.

He began work in the factories, quickly rising to management level, and was on the board of the Midland Engineering Employers Association.

He came to his media career late in life, making his radio debut in 1947 and appearing on television for the first time in 1952 at the age of 38.

Eventually he joined the BBC in 1976 to host ‘One Man and his Dog’. He later said: "When the BBC first asked me to present the programme in 1975, I refused because I thought it would be too boring for words.” But at its peak, the series attracted eight million viewers.

When Mr Drabble retired in 1993 he admitted: "It gets boring watching dogs chase stroppy sheep around the same sort of course. After 17 years it's difficult to keep my enthusiasm for the subject and come up with original things to say.”

Mr Drabble turned his hand to writing instead, taking his beloved Midlands countryside as his theme. He published nearly twenty books and continued to write well into his 80s.He remained passionate about the natural world and set up the 90 acre Goat Lodge Nature Reserve in the Forest of Needwood with his wife Jess, who died 18 months ago.

Already in his 80th year when he left One Man and His Dog, Mr Drabble was 93 when he died at his Staffordshire home in July 2007.

Phil Drabble was a true British countryman who was proud to have never lived more than 20 miles from his birthplace. He fully deserved his 1992 award for ‘Midlander of the Year’.

Even the Queen was a fan, asking him for advice after her liberty budgies were attacked by hawks at Windsor. He was awarded the OBE in 1993.

Mr Drabble was famous for his outspoken opinions, referring to ramblers as "the woolly hat brigade" and calling the Ministry of Agriculture "monumental incompetents".

BBC 2 controller Roly Keating says of his colleague: ‘He will be remembered with deep affection and gratitude by millions of viewers and listeners who will mourn his passing.’