Winterwatch host Chris Packham shares insights into his relationship with Jeremy Clarkson, noting that public expectations often assume deep animosity between them due to clashing views on nature issues. Packham clarifies that their dynamic differs significantly, highlighting shared traits.
Unexpected Parallels and Collaboration
Packham states, “Everybody expects me to hate Jeremy. But we worked together and he was extraordinarily hospitable. And he’s like myself.” Both figures occasionally stir debates intentionally to spark discussions. Packham observes Clarkson’s recent shift toward aligned perspectives, including his August remark on the badger cull’s ineffectiveness against bovine TB—a notable stance from a farmer.
Clarkson’s Farm Challenges
Since taking over Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire in 2019, Clarkson voices firm positions on agriculture. These include bovine TB impacts after a calf cull on his property last year, support for British farming and local sourcing, harsh weather effects, and planning disputes.
Packham’s Environmental Advocacy
Fronting Springwatch, Autumnwatch, and Winterwatch since 2009, Packham champions environmental causes. He faced severe backlash in 2021 when protesters torched a vehicle and damaged his gate, leading to enhanced security. Undeterred, he criticizes the BBC for insufficient environmental coverage, saying, “I don’t think the BBC is as forthright [as it ought to be]. It’s a dereliction of duty not to be informing people of the gravity of the situation.”
Packham praises Sir David Attenborough, nearing his 100th birthday in May, as the “single most important ambassador for life on Earth that the planet’s ever seen.”
Disturbing Wildlife Observation
During three weeks filming Springwatch in the Peak District, Packham noticed a stark absence of buzzards and kites overhead. He describes the area beyond the protected National Trust zone as a “raptor death zone,” likening it to “peering over the fence and into the desert,” calling the situation tragic despite abundant other wildlife like dippers.
