Latest news with #Winterwatch
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Springwatch's Chris Packham's relationship issues and how he once 'loathed' himself
BBC Springwatch's Chris Packham's relationship issues and how he once 'loathed' himself Chris Packham has been a mainstay of the BBC's nature coverage for more than a decade, but his life has been far from plain sailing Chris Packham is back on Springwatch (Image: PA ) Chris Packham, the renowned naturalist and familiar face of BBC's nature programmes, has been a staple on Springwatch and Winterwatch for over a decade. In addition to his television work, Chris is also an accomplished author and has contributed to several other TV shows, including The Really Wild Show and Birdwatch. He is currently back on screens on BBC Two for the 2025 series of Springwatch. The 64-year-old has also raised awareness for autism, which he was diagnosed with later in life and has recently reacted to comments from a Trump ally who claims to be able to "uncover the root cause of autism". Discussing US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's comments, on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the presenter said he had "mixed feelings" about RFK Jr looking for a cause to what he described as an "autism epidemic". He said: "Firstly, there's no epidemic. What we have done is we've created a wider awareness of this condition (autism) and therefore more people are able, hopefully, to access help. And that has to be seen as a very, very positive thing. "Because people are learning about these conditions on social media, which we all use every day, that's not a bad thing. That's opening our eyes to the fact that these conditions are real and they need addressing and support. "The second thing, as a scientist, I would love to know what has made me an autistic person. My curiosity is in that direction." For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . Article continues below It wasn't until 2005 when, aged 44, Chris Packham sought therapy, which led to his Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis, which is a form of autism. Drawn from his personal diaries, it's apparent Chris recognised signs of autism long before receiving his formal diagnosis, one that proved transformative for him. In conversation with ITV's Good Morning Britain, he reflected: "I grew up in the sixties and seventies when the condition wasn't widely known, certainly by my parents and teachers. "So, by the time I'd got to the beginning of my teens, and certainly into the early part of my 20s, my mental health issues were quite considerable. "I loathed myself, I thought that I was broken. Clearly, I was in a lesser cohort than most other people, so I blamed myself for everything that was going wrong." Chris has spoken openly about his autism diagnosis (Image: Getty Images ) Chris discussed his struggles in the 2017 documentary film, Aspergers And Me, and he later spearheaded a BBC series titled Inside Our Autistic Minds. In this series, Chris assisted a group of autistic individuals in making short films to communicate with their loved ones how they truly feel and what is occurring within their autistic minds. Born on May 4, 1961, Chris spent his childhood in Southampton. He attended Bitterne Park Secondary School and Taunton's College before pursuing a zoology degree at the University of Southampton. After university, Chris embarked on a career as a wildlife cameraman, which eventually led to his transition into presenting in the 80s. His first major role was on the children's wildlife programme, The Really Wild Show, in 1986. The star landed a BBC presenting gig for Springwatch in 2009 and has since fronted a variety of documentaries, including Chris Packham: Is It Time to Break the Law?, Dogs in the Wild: Meet the Family, and Chris Packham: A Walk That Made Me. Something that might be news to many is that his sibling is among the UK's most prominent designers, with quite the portfolio of celebrity clientele. Jenny Packham, celebrating over three decades with her own brand, has seen her designs grace the silver screen in James Bond features Die Another Day and Casino Royale, as well as being showcased on hit series like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl. Her creations have been donned by the Duchess of Cambridge, not least the dazzling golden dress at the No Time To Die premiere. Stars such as Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Aniston, and Keira Knightley have also chosen Jenny's designs for their wardrobe. Chris has found love with Charlotte Corney, who owns and operates Wildheart Animal Sanctuary. The pair have openly expressed that they have no intention to marry or live together. Chris with his partner Charlotte Corney (Image: Daily Mirror ) On The Different Minds podcast, when queried about potential marriage plans, Chris responded: "I would say no. It's all about animals at the moment, we have to concentrate on them. Her tigers are old, my dog Scratchy is old. It's not about us, we have to get through this period basically of aged animals." In conversation with The Guardian regarding how his autism diagnosis in his 40s impacted his relationship, Chris shared insights into why his partnership with Charlotte remained strong, distinguishing it from past relationships that typically ended after five to seven years. He remarked: "They all reached their full term because, as much as I was dealing socially with my neurodiversity, I wasn't dealing with it at home. I couldn't let my guard down and that was always very challenging for my partners. "I have slightly better control of my obsessive personality now. That means I don't totally expose Charlotte to my obsessions and force her to be part of them, which is what I did in past relationships – while at the same time being pretty unforgiving when partners wanted me to do anything they valued and I didn't." Chris Packham, who was previously married to NHS nurse Jo McCubbin, remains close with Megan McCubbin, Jo's daughter from a previous relationship. Meg often joins Chris on his TV shows, including Springwatch. While Chris's precise residence in the New Forest is a well-guarded secret, he is thought to dwell in a quaint cottage accompanied by his two beloved dogs, Sid and Nancy. Article continues below In October, 2021, the wildlife expert disclosed that his Land Rover had been maliciously blown up right outside his Hampshire abode gate. He has also been subjected to death threats in the past, received human faeces mailed to his house, and found dead crows affixed to his New Forest home's fence.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Springwatch star Iolo Williams' life off-screen from major health scare to family life
BBC Springwatch star Iolo Williams' life off-screen from major health scare to family life Iolo Williams is a well-known face on TV, but the Springwatch star's world was rocked by two major health emergencies Iolo is back presenting Springwatch (Image: BBC ) Iolo Williams, the Welsh naturalist, broadcaster, and writer, is back on our screens for the 2025 series of Springwatch, which continues at 8pm on Tuesday, May 27, on BBC Two. A familiar face on screen, Iolo has presented numerous nature and wildlife series for the BBC and S4C over the years. He is best known for BBC's The Watches, Winterwatch, Springwatch, and Autumnwatch, having joined the popular series as a regular presenter in 2019. He also has his owns series, Iolo's River Valleys, airing at 7pm on BBC Two on Tuesday, May 27. In 2023 Iolo had to withdraw from presenting Springwatch after suffering a heart attack during a six-mile run in the Welsh countryside. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . The 61-year-old spoke openly about the frightening experience, which resulted in him having a stent fitted, and later revealed he also suffered from an embolism. In a concerning update from May, 2023, he shared an update on social media from his hospital bed, saying: "Unfortunately I can't co-present @BBCSpringwatch this year. I had a stent inserted in April, which released a clot, that, this week, caused an embolism! "My demise has been greatly exaggerated; thanks to brilliant friends, wonderful family and the excellent @NHS. Go Megan and team SW!". Article continues below Sharing more about the incident later, Williams recounted his routine six-mile jog through the Welsh countryside, unexpectedly ending in a heart attack. Realising immediately what was happening yet far from help, he had to endure a painful walk back to his vehicle, where his phone was left, managing the situation with remarkable fortitude. "It came like a bolt out of the blue," Iolo recounted to The Mirror. "I knew what it was – intense pain under my sternum. It was a heart attack. And I thought well, I can't go down here! So I walked on, crouched a little bit every now and again when the pain got a little bit worse. "Got to my car, phoned for an ambulance and they said it would be 90-odd minutes. So my wife, Ceri, came down, drove me to hospital and from then on I was in the hands of the NHS. They were superb." Iolo with his Springwatch co-presenters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan (Image: SHARED CONTENT UNIT ) While filming for a new series in Port Talbot, Iolo suffered another medical emergency. He said: "We were about to go in to film and I got in a car, in the passenger seat, and all of a sudden I just couldn't put the seatbelt on. "I couldn't understand why. The driver was asking what's the matter and I couldn't communicate. So they rushed me to hospital 10 minutes away and injected some high-level aspirin in liquid form." A cardiac stent had been previously fitted, which might have attributed to a blood clot leading to an embolism. Iolo revealed: "It went around my body for six weeks and then it jammed in a blood vessel in my medulla oblongata – the left-hand side of the base of my brain. The left-hand side operates the right-hand side of your body so I was paralysed. "But luckily, the NHS jumped into action again and in probably a couple of hours the use of my right arm, right leg had come back. Speech took probably the best part of four or five days to come fully back but there were no long-term ill-effects whatsoever." Iolo recently gave a health update, saying: "I got the use of my arm and my leg back, so I can still walk and do what I enjoy doing, and that was generally what I was thinking. "For me, if I'm going to die, I'd rather die doing what I love, and I love being outside. I love doing wildlife programmes, I love guiding. And if I die showing people a white tailed eagle or die showing people red kites in north Wales, what a way to go." Iolo has been a familiar face on television since the 90s, starting his media career with BBC Two's Visions of Snowdonia. This programme chronicled the lives of six individuals residing and working on the slopes of Wales' highest mountain. Before his days as a presenter he dedicated nearly 15 years to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as the Species Officer for Wales. However, when a second series of the BBC Two show was commissioned in 1999, Iolo chose to leave the RSPB and embark on a full-time media career. Since then, he has presented a variety of shows including Canals of Wales with Iolo Williams, Iolo's Natural History of Wales, Wild Wales, Rugged Wales and Great Welsh Parks. Yet, Iolo is perhaps most recognised for his work on The Watches. Despite a successful television career and a packed schedule, Iolo has also penned a number of books, boasting five publications under his belt. His works include Blwyddyn Iolo (2003), Crwydro (2004), Wild about the Wild (2005), Wild Places Wales (2016), and Wild Places UK (2019). In his spare time, Iolo regularly contributes to several magazines, including BBC Wildlife. Article continues below Iolo and his wife Ceri Williams share a private family life, having two children together but preferring to keep their personal affairs away from the media spotlight. After a heart attack hit him during a run last year, Iolo was grateful for his "brilliant friends" and "wonderful family", praising his wife Ceri's quick thinking in driving him to the hospital when an ambulance was delayed.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Springwatch 2025: how to watch Springwatch on TV
Springwatch is about to hatch a brand new series on BBC 🐣 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Springwatch is returning for a new series in 2025. It will be on for three weeks through late May and early June. But how can you watch the latest edition? The sun is shining and it is time for Springwatch to come out of hibernation. The iconic wildlife show is set to take over your screens for the next three weeks. The BBC has confirmed its television plans for the 2025 edition of the legendary nature programme. It follows on from Winterwatch earlier in the year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But when will Springwatch be on TV - and who are the presenters? Here's all you need to know: When is Springwatch 2025 on TV? Springwatch returns today (May 26) and will continue over the next few weeks. It will be live on BBC Two and iPlayer at the following times: Monday 26 May – Thursday 29 May 8pm Monday 2 June – Thursday 5 June 8pm Monday 9 June – Thursday 12 June 8pm Where is Springwatch taking place in 2025? In a big twist, Springwatch will be split across two locations this year. Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan will be leading three weeks of wildlife wonder from the National Trust's Longshaw Estate in the heart of the Peak District - a new location for the BBC show. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Michaela Strachan (L) and Chris Packham (R) are back for Springwatch 2025 | BBC Meanwhile, Iolo Williams will broadcast live from Northern Ireland as, for the first time on Springwatch, he embarks upon a three-week nature trek through some of the region's most diverse wildlife hotspots. Who is presenting Springwatch in 2025? Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams will be on presting duty. But they will be joined by some other faces throughout the three weeks. Speaking ahead of Springwatch 2025, Michaela said: 'This year, we're at a new site, and that's very exciting because we'll be able to focus on bird nests that we haven't been able to before, like the ring ouzel, the redstart, and the pied flycatcher. But it doesn't necessarily mean we'll get those nests, because Springwatch is unpredictable, and that's what I really enjoy about the programme. It's the unpredictable stories that nature tells, and then we tell those stories to the viewers.' Iolo added: 'I'm really looking forward to going into Belfast to look at some of the urban wildlife there. They've got some amazing things and it's very exciting. They've got tern rafts where you've got nesting terns and feeding waders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's always good when you visit somewhere which has got a big population with wildlife in the middle of it, because most people now live in towns and in cities. It's great for us to show things like golden eagles and white-tailed eagles and basking sharks, but wildlife for most people is what they see in their gardens or in their local parks or in town.' The Springwatch Team also includes London-based influencer and naturalist Lira Valencia. Resident Springwatch researcher and expert ornithologist Jack Baddams is part of the team as well. As well as sharing all the behind-the-scenes extra wildlife moments on Springwatch's social platforms, Hannah Stitfall will be dropping into the BBC Two show to share her own wildlife moments at Longshaw with Chris and Michaela. Megan McCubbin is back and she uncovers the unsavoury world of egg stealing/collecting by joining the team fighting to protect our precious birds of prey. Ornithologist Sean Ronayne is also part of the Springwatch team for 2025. He is on a mission to record the sound of every bird species in Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Springwatch 2025: how to watch Springwatch on TV
Springwatch is about to hatch a brand new series on BBC 🐣 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Springwatch is returning for a new series in 2025. It will be on for three weeks through late May and early June. But how can you watch the latest edition? The sun is shining and it is time for Springwatch to come out of hibernation. The iconic wildlife show is set to take over your screens for the next three weeks. The BBC has confirmed its television plans for the 2025 edition of the legendary nature programme. It follows on from Winterwatch earlier in the year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But when will Springwatch be on TV - and who are the presenters? Here's all you need to know: When is Springwatch 2025 on TV? Springwatch returns today (May 26) and will continue over the next few weeks. It will be live on BBC Two and iPlayer at the following times: Monday 26 May – Thursday 29 May 8pm Monday 2 June – Thursday 5 June 8pm Monday 9 June – Thursday 12 June 8pm Where is Springwatch taking place in 2025? In a big twist, Springwatch will be split across two locations this year. Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan will be leading three weeks of wildlife wonder from the National Trust's Longshaw Estate in the heart of the Peak District - a new location for the BBC show. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Michaela Strachan (L) and Chris Packham (R) are back for Springwatch 2025 | BBC Meanwhile, Iolo Williams will broadcast live from Northern Ireland as, for the first time on Springwatch, he embarks upon a three-week nature trek through some of the region's most diverse wildlife hotspots. Who is presenting Springwatch in 2025? Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams will be on presting duty. But they will be joined by some other faces throughout the three weeks. Speaking ahead of Springwatch 2025, Michaela said: 'This year, we're at a new site, and that's very exciting because we'll be able to focus on bird nests that we haven't been able to before, like the ring ouzel, the redstart, and the pied flycatcher. But it doesn't necessarily mean we'll get those nests, because Springwatch is unpredictable, and that's what I really enjoy about the programme. It's the unpredictable stories that nature tells, and then we tell those stories to the viewers.' Iolo added: 'I'm really looking forward to going into Belfast to look at some of the urban wildlife there. They've got some amazing things and it's very exciting. They've got tern rafts where you've got nesting terns and feeding waders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's always good when you visit somewhere which has got a big population with wildlife in the middle of it, because most people now live in towns and in cities. It's great for us to show things like golden eagles and white-tailed eagles and basking sharks, but wildlife for most people is what they see in their gardens or in their local parks or in town.' The Springwatch Team also includes London-based influencer and naturalist Lira Valencia. Resident Springwatch researcher and expert ornithologist Jack Baddams is part of the team as well. As well as sharing all the behind-the-scenes extra wildlife moments on Springwatch's social platforms, Hannah Stitfall will be dropping into the BBC Two show to share her own wildlife moments at Longshaw with Chris and Michaela. Megan McCubbin is back and she uncovers the unsavoury world of egg stealing/collecting by joining the team fighting to protect our precious birds of prey. Ornithologist Sean Ronayne is also part of the Springwatch team for 2025. He is on a mission to record the sound of every bird species in Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Chris Packham shares why he loves being in the New Forest
The 64-year-old TV presenter and naturalist lives in the area and has spoken about his love for the woodland. It comes as part of Country Living's feature on the favourite 'green and happy' spaces of UK celebrities. The publication said: "For four decades, Country Living has celebrated the power of nature to nourish, soothe and restore us. "So to celebrate our 40th birthday this year, we've asked 40 of our favourite country-loving friends to tell us about the gardens, woods, lakes and mountains that nurture their wellbeing." Chris Packham reveals why he loves the New Forest Speaking to the magazine on the New Forest, Packham explained how he experiences it while living with Asperger's, which is on the autism spectrum. He shared: "I understand the natural world through the prism of autism. I need space and to do things my way. "Each morning, I walk the dogs in the local countryside. It's the best bit of the day." Packham also spoke about living in the New Forest in a prior interview with Country Living, saying how much he connected with it. He explained: "I go back every morning to the woods where I lived up until recently to walk my dogs. "I just love that bit of woods. I wander around there and I know all the trees and I love the way it smells. It's my favourite place. "I woke up this morning and I went outside [my new house] and it smelt different. Recommended reading: "I know it's only a mile and a half away but it smells different here. That sort of connectivity is really important to me." Packham is well-known for presenting Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch on the BBC. He has also been a strong advocate for tackling climate change, even becoming the first non-US-based director of the Climate Emergency Fund in October 2024.
