Latest news with #LongshawEstate
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Springwatch viewers left 'dreading' show after spotting BBC host Chris Packham's 'annoying' habit
Springwatch viewers confessed that they have been left 'dreading' the show after spotting host Chris Packham's 'annoying' habit on Monday night. The latest series of the BBC series returned to our screens at the end of May from a new location of National Trust 's Longshaw Estate in the Peak District. Last night (Monday 2 June) saw Chris, 64, and co-star Michaela Strachan, 59, open the programme with a huge smile on their faces. Chris said: 'It's week two coming to you live from the National Trust Longshaw Estate up here in the Peak District National Park.' He continued: 'Now, Girls and Boys, there's no other way to spend a Monday night, you've got your Coffee and TV, and we're going to dive into the Chemical World of insect vesicant and a practical demonstration of oesophageal peristalsis.' Those watching at home all took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say the same thing. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. '#springwatch ahh its Blur week. boys and girls, coffee and tv....' 'Blur references heard already.' 'Is Chris on to Blur this week, Beetlebum reference?' 'Ah! So Blur, this week. Nice one!' 'Packham crying to get as many Blursongs as he can. This is a low, tender, beetlebum etc.' According to The Express another said: 'F*** sake, so it's Blur this week, is it?' 'I dread to think how many annoying song references Chris is gonna make this week.' While others pointed out that last week's episode of the show focused on another popular band. 'Oh we've gone from Oasis to Blur. #Springwatch.' 'Blur "Beetlebum" Has Chris Packham moved from Oasis to Blur this week.' Many viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the same thoughts as Chris returned to our screens this week It comes after Chris complained that UK 'is going to hell in a handcart' after the Springwatch budget was slashed - and even branded Britain 'one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world '. The Watches - which are annual BBC programmes which explore the wildlife in the UK during each of the seasons - have been on our screens since 2005. Springwatch and Winterwatch are still running, but Autumnwatch wrapped up in 2022. And Chris, who has been a presenter on the shows since 2009, has shared his worries about the UK after it was revealed recently that the budget has been cut. Chris told Radio Times: 'Springwatch will always be needed. 'The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and wildlife is going to hell in a handcart.' Despite that, there will be a new brand new series of Springwatch airing very soon, and Chris' co-star Michaela Strachan has teased what fans can expect. Michaela told the publication: 'We tell the stories nature gives us. We're in a new location – the National Trust's Longshaw Estate in the Peak District – so we'll be tracking wood warblers and curlews.' She added: 'We have great production values, even though our budget has been cut. 'There are positives to streaming, too; you can watch Springwatch on catch-up!' Springwatch's official Instagram account shared a sneak peek on their account with a video of the two ahead of the brand new series. Chris said: 'Springwatch is back! We're going to be coming from a brand new location, the National Trust Longshaw Estate in the Peak Distrct.' Michaela chimed in: I'll be on the lookout for mountain hares, brown long-eared bats and dippers.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
'Hypocritical' BBC is accused of damaging the countryside to film Chris Packham's Springwatch
The BBC has been accused of wreaking environmental damage on a National Trust estate in order to film Springwatch. Residents in the Peak District claim the production team for the hugely popular nature programme is destroying an area of the Longshaw Estate. Live filming for the 20th anniversary series of the programme - fronted by environmental campaigner Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan - is taking place on the estate, which sits within the Peak District National Park, near Sheffield. But images taken by local resident Christine Laver, supplied to MailOnline, show what some alleged to be hypocritical behaviour on the part of the BBC Natural History Unit, part of BBC Studios, the commercial production arm of the broadcaster. Steel plates are laid out across part of the estate - which only some vehicles belonging to the production team are parked on, with others in the grass. Large plates were also laid out across paths and ditches were filled in with bags of stones, topped with plastic mats to widen the roads for larger vehicles such as production lorries. The BBC and the National Trust both say the site will be restored to its original condition once filming is concluded. But in a viral social media post Ms Laver said the apparent damage reflected 'the reality of Springwatch at Longshaw'. Large plates were laid out across paths and ditches were filled in with bags of stones, topped with plastic mats to widen the roads for larger vehicles such as production lorries She wrote: 'Tons of limestone tipped in a gritstone landscape to facilitate access for huge lorries. Ditches blocked and tracks widened by vehicles they were never designed for. 'A meadow covered in steel plating, just when the wildflowers are coming into bloom and dozens of staff and production vehicles parked there. 'How many tons of CO2 will this lot produce in 3 weeks, Chris Packham?' The first episode of the latest series of Springwatch, which aired on Monday, opened with Chris and Michaela praising the habitats and the wildlife at the location. Among Longshaw's fauna are wild hares, herds of deer and birds including short-eared owls and ring ouzels. But some of those who saw Ms Laver's post fear that the wildlife may have been disrupted. The BBC has denied this is the case. 'Saw a pair of curlews in the field the wagons are in now, probs a week before the arrived, two days in a row,' one said. 'If they had a nest, that'll be trashed now.' One social media user opined that it was an example of 'hypocrisy and feeding a narrative' on the part of the BBC. Another, referring to Chris Packham, said: 'The hypocrisy of these environmentalists knows no bounds. Educate and inform by all means but stop the campaigning.' The BBC and National Trust supplied MailOnline with similar statements outlining how the site would be preserved after production came to an end. Some have given the broadcaster the benefit of the doubt as production continues. One said: 'Why not be thankful for the good that comes from this programme? For me personally I think it is fantastic that Springwatch is coming from my own backyard.' Another commented: 'I like they are trying to [put] wildlife to the forefront of people's attention and get people interested in wildlife and support mental health. 'And all people can do is look at the negative side if things. 'They're not destroying habitats to build homes like the government. They're trying to bring the beautiful side of nature.' The row comes despite Chris being a prominent environmentalist campaigner and vocal supporter of groups such as Just Stop Oil. In November last year, he joined thousands of people marching through central London to demand the government cleans up Britain's waterways. Speaking outside Westminster, he said: 'Rachel Reeves gave a Budget in 2024, whilst Valencia was being flooded and people were losing their lives, and she didn't use the word climate or nature once in that Budget. Now that's scary.' Pointing at Parliament, Mr Packham added: 'I know there are plenty of MPs and ministers over there who are desperate to do what they need to do and do their job - but they need to be given access to the resources, and part of that is finance.' Meanwhile in April last year Chris joined Extinction Rebellion protesters as they stormed the Science Museum's new climate gallery over its sponsorship by a mining company. The criticism centred on the fact the gallery's sponsor – the Adani Group – derives 60 per cent of its revenue from the coal industry. Speaking to the 30-strong band of young people, scientists and activists, Mr Packham deemed the sponsorship deal 'beyond greenwash – it's grotesque'. He continued: 'Science tells us that the fossil fuel industry is responsible for the accelerating destruction of our natural world. 'The Science Museum is a place to spark imagination, to provide answers but also to encourage us to ask questions. 'The question I'm asking today is a big one, 'why on earth are we allowing a destructive industry to sponsor an educational exhibition whilst simultaneously setting fire to young peoples futures?' 'This is beyond greenwash - it's grotesque.' A BBC spokesperson said of the Springwatch row: 'At Longshaw the Springwatch team is working in cooperation with the National Trust. 'The field location was confirmed as appropriate for temporary use by local land managers and no wildlife has been displaced. 'All of the surfaces installed and modifications are temporary, and the National Trust will undertake any works that may be needed to reinstate the site once Springwatch has departed. 'This restoration includes reseeding fields, restoring ditches, and reverting any landscape changes. 'Minimising our environmental impact is a top priority and Springwatch is certified by BAFTA Albert, which encourages sustainable TV and film production. 'Whilst on location, our main power source is a green hydrogen fuel cell, dramatically reducing our CO₂ emission.' In a similarly worded statement, the National Trust said it would 'uphold the highest possible environmental standards' during production.
