16 January 2024 , 20:28
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Chris Packham has told how security on Winterwatch has been beefed up because of “specific threats” against him.
The BBC wildlife show, presented by Chris, Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams, is being broadcast from RSPB Arne in Dorset this week. And climate change campaigner Chris has told how they aren’t taking any chances after two threats in the past month alone.
The presenter is allocated a bodyguard who accompanies him during and after filming. He said: “A couple of times recently, before the Watches, we’ve had specific threats for me. So we’ve had a person who’s there and stays at the hotel, and then goes with me to the place.”
Chris, whose gates at his New Forest home were firebombed in October, 2021, said he had reported the most recent threats to the police. He added: “We have had several threats recently that are not death threats but they’re saying, ‘We’re going to harm you.’
"And they come, unbelievably, from emails. We’ve got the person’s email address, obviously, I’ve reported them to the police. I haven’t heard back from the police but they’ve acknowledged receipt of them. So we’ve had two in the last month, saying, ‘I’m going to harm you and harm your family.’”
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Hate campaigners blew up a Land Rover outside his front gate (Supplied)Chris said police have hit a brick wall with the car-bomb outside his house, although he thinks it relates to his opposition of fox hunting. He said: “They know who these people are – ish. They don’t know precisely which person it is but they said that, you know, sometimes these things play out over a couple of years, because eventually they might fall out with one another, and then they will grass one another up, they are career criminals.
“The police described them as career criminals and on that account, they were probably paid to do the job. And they didn’t come from anywhere around here. They came from somewhere quite far off.”
Winterwatch is set to highlight the area’s native wildlife, including white-tailed eagles, and is the first Winterwatch to be set in Dorset since 2017. And Chris says they are having to wrap up warm given the terrible cold weather.
Chris Packham holding a dead badger that was hung from leading to his residence (Ewan Galvin/Solent News)“It’s going to get cold, which is not good for us because we’ll be freezing. But that’s perfect. That’s what we want, we need Winterwatch to be cold. The audience always say, ‘Why have you and Michaela got so many layers on?’ Well, I’ll tell you what, mate, you’re on your sofa indoors. We’ve been standing around out here all day. Not doing any exercise, just standing still.”
The new series started last night, 8pm on BBC Two, and is on for the next three nights.