Ben Fogle is the son of not one but two famous parents. Born in Westminster, the TV star was raised by his mother, Julia Foster – a British actress who counts Michael Caine among her A-list circle – and father, Bruce, a celebrated veterinarian and writer from Canada.
Incredibly close to both of his parents, Ben, 51, has praised his dad as a personal hero, joking that they’re “peas in a pod”. Now 81-years-old, Bruce has spent most of his working life as a clinical veterinarian, not to mention a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
© GettyLike his son, Ben, Bruce has written books and gained extensive experience on television and radio too, presenting Petwatch for BBC 1 and featuring in episodes of Richard and Judy’s Good Morning for Granada TV.
Having run his own practice for years, Ben has endless memories of visiting Bruce in his operating rooms at work. “My father, veterinary surgeon Bruce Fogle, had his clinic on the lower floors [of our townhouse] and we lived above,” he told MailOnline.
“The house was very full. As well as me and my parents, there was my older sister Emily, my younger sister Tamara, our nanny and two nurses who lived on-site as the clinic was open 24/7,” continued Ben.
“My sisters and I got extra pocket money for cleaning the kennels. The operating room was in the basement too, and it was one of the creepiest places ever.”
“I loved the clinic, all the animals and spending time with Dad and the nurses,” Ben recalled. “I liked to sit in on operations and would go down there when I got home from school. The basement wasn’t as scary when Dad was there.”
While the Channel 5 favourite had a less traditional upbringing, he’s always been a great admirer of his father’s career. Back in 2023, Ben penned the sweetest tribute to Bruce, calling him a “hero” and noting that he’d “dedicated his whole life to animals”.
“Dr Fogle has been a veterinarian for more than 50 years and he is still practising in his 80s. He has saved, treated and loved hundreds of thousands of beloved animals throughout the years,” Ben captioned a photo.
© Shutterstock“Selflessly dedicated to animals, he is co-founder of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People @hearingdogs and Chair of Humane Society International @hsiukorg. He has also written hundreds of books on dogs and cats and is a world expert on behaviour.”
Ben concluded that Bruce is “the kindest and most generous man I know.” He echoed this sentiment a year later, reiterating that his father is a “role model” who has made him “proud” by remaining independent amid the “sweeping tide of corporate owned veterinary clinics”.
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