Who knew watching a guy get a bunch of hickeys would make interesting television?
When the affection comes from a giant Pacific octopus, you can’t help but be a little jealous of Matt Baker, a presenter for the BBC’s new Big Blue Live series.
Baker, feeling a bit jet-lagged after flying from England to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, woke up in a hurry after being greeted with open arms – all eight of them – by the curious octopus.
“Oh, that’s weird, it’s almost like your arm is being engulfed,” Baker said as he and an unidentified aquarium scientist worked to remove the entanglement of tentacles wrapped around his arm.
The scientist assured Baker that the octopus was friendly and just using its suction cups to get a taste of his new friend. There was a cartoon-like popping sound as they worked to remove the amorous arms.
“Very nice to meet you, my dear,” Baker said like a true British gentleman. “Now if you don’t mind, I won’t shake your hand any longer.”
The three-part series, airing this week on both the BBC and PBS, examines the wildlife in Monterey Bay off the California coast. The BBC posted the octopus clip to YouTube on Thursday and it already has received more than 23,000 views.
