Outspoken Chris Packham says he's keeping his mouth shut as Autumnwatch reaches tenth series

OUTSPOKEN wildlife presenter Chris Packham has revealed why he’s taken a vow of silence.

Chris, 55, will host a milestone series of Autumnwatch next week as the hugely popular show marks its 10th anniversary.

Having had bust-ups with everyone from the Countryside Alliance to Sir Ian Botham, Chris has told The Sunday Post why he’s keeping his mouth shut until the series is finished.

“I want to avoid topics like my thoughts on controversial subjects like Scottish grouse moors while Autumnwatch is on,” said Chris.

“I’m a great champion of the BBC’s independence and impartiality, so I want to be really careful that my comments are out-with my employment by them.

“The BBC has never muzzled me and I work with them so they can protect their integrity and I can protect my own.”

Presenters Martin Hughes-Games, Michaela Strachan and Chris Packham (BBC / Jo Charlesworth)

Chris faced calls from the Countryside Alliance for his sacking after he described those involved in hunting and shooting as “the nasty brigade” in a BBC magazine.

Former cricketer Botham accused him of being an extremist.

And Chris was even more in the firing line when he suggested that pandas should be allowed to become extinct so the money spent on them could be used to protect other threatened species.

He faced a barrage of criticism but said he wouldn’t back down.

“If we’re too fearful to talk about things you won’t get change,” he insisted. “Sometimes you have to take a stance and I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to make a difference.

“People taking a pop doesn’t worry me.

“I don’t expect people to agree with everything I say but I’m quite happy to argue my corner.

“I still think that choosing the panda to make the case I did was a wise thing to do. We have to think cleverly about how we spend our limited amount of money.”

Autumnwatch has become one of the BBC’s most successful nature brands and Chris admitted Scotland had played no small part in its success over the past decade.

“Scotland has been absolutely invaluable for the show.

“There are two places in the UK with large collections of the sexiest species that really get people excited. One is the south coast because it’s close to continental Europe and you get species that couldn’t survive elsewhere.

“And then there’s Scotland where you have creatures that were once all over the UK but which have survived because there are fewer people, like wildcats and pine martens and golden eagles.”

Chris will be joined as always by Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games.

New night cameras and other technological advances mean images can be captured that would have been unimaginable when the series began.

This time around they’ll try to get rare live shots of shy moles underground.

And Chris said constantly keeping things fresh was key to Autumnwatch’s success.

“We might talk about the same species but we’ll talk about things that have just been discovered,” he added.

“I’m very strict about that. If researchers come and tell me one thing I’ve heard on TV before we’ll have a swift conversation and hopefully they won’t do it again.”

Autumnwatch, BBC2, from October 24

For information on how to enjoy Autumn in Scotland, visit the Forestry Commission for Scotland’s website here: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities/autumn

Chris Packham: I’m happy to be controversial