SHE’S the Prof who has made science interesting; she’s brought archeology to the masses and she’s even indulged in a bit of wild swimming on TV.

Now Alice Roberts is heading out around the country to talk about the way humans have shaped their environment and how the natural world has adapted to having people around.

“I’ve been thinking about it as a concept for a few years,” said Alice. “It’s been in the back of my mind for some time and I’ve been collecting ideas for it. but I really started to work on it just over a year ago."

The result of that research is her new book Tamed which forms the basis for her new show.

“I wanted to go out on a tour,” she said. “I love doing live events and usually I’ve ended up going the odd talk here and there but thought I’d like to do it as a full tour,

“It’s basically like a lecture with a handout and the handout is the book,” she laughed.

In both the book and the forthcoming tour, Alice looks at a range of familiar species ranging from horses to vegetables to see how different species have changed and reacted to each other.

“I was interested in the themes that emerge when you look at all those species together and how the interaction with humans shaped them too,” she said.

Her enthusiasm for her subject shines through in her conversation, much as it does when you watch her on TV in programmes ranging from Time Team and Coast to The Incredible Human Journey.

It’s no surprise, therefore, to discover that away from her career as a broadcaster, Alice also has the great job title of Professor of Public Engagement at Birmingham University.

“I firmly believe in engaging with the general public and people outside the university is something academics should be doing and the universities should be about much more than their own staff and students.

“They should be about enriching the community much more broadly and engaging with that community much better than they have done in the past.

“I just think it’s a wonderful vision of what a 21st century university is about – it’s not just about educating a small elite section of society but about enriching society more generally.”

It’s something that Alice has done throughout her career so it's interesting to see how she regards herself.

“I suppose I’m really a failed surgeon,” she laughed. “That’s what I was going to be then got completely sidetracked. But I suppose I see myself as a scientist, author and broadcaster.

“Occasionally I get invited to talk to school careers days and I say I’m probably not the best person to ask. I didn’t start off with a plan and stick to it, I deviated from it wildly but I’ve always followed my passion and been lucky enough to do that.

“I feel immensely privileged to have made some fantastic series and it’s been a massive education for me. As a human you never stop learning, as an academic you can indulge that.”

As well as her tour with Tamed, Alice revealed she is filming a new series of Digging for Britain on BBC4 and a new archeology series for Channel 4 looking at the history of cities around the UK

Alice Roberts: Tamed, RNCM, Manchester, Sunday, October 15, details from 0161 907 5200 or www.rncm.ac.uk and Charter Theatre, Preston, Monday, October 23, details from 01772 804444 or www.prestonguildhall.co.uk