BBC presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham has disclosed a unique ambition: to stage a climate change protest on the set of the long-running BBC One soap opera, EastEnders.
A Soap Opera Stage for Environmental Action
The 64-year-old naturalist explained that his ideal television appearance would be a cameo in Albert Square following a fictional environmental disaster. Packham envisions a plotline involving a flood or similar event to tangibly demonstrate the impacts of climate breakdown to millions of viewers.
"If you are asking what’s your fantasy TV appearance, I would say that I'd be in Albert Square where there'd been an environmental disaster," Packham stated. He believes embedding such issues into mainstream entertainment could spark vital public conversation.
He expressed frustration that while people often complain about soaring food prices, many don't connect them to climate-related causes like crop failures and shortages. "Making those sorts of issues mainstream and part of the everyday conversation would be great," he added.
The Fantasy Protest and Reality TV Limits
In his envisioned scenario, Packham would appear as himself, marching through the Square with a placard, deliberately causing a stir amongst the regulars at the Queen Vic pub. "That’s my fantasy," he laughed, issuing a playful hint to the show's producers. "I’d be very happy to stage a protest about fossil fuels or flooding."
However, the presenter was clear about his boundaries regarding other TV formats. Despite occasional invites, he has no desire to participate in reality TV shows, citing Clint Eastwood's adage that "a man's got to know his limitations."
"I can't dance and I can't cook - so I wouldn't do those sorts of things," he reasoned, emphasising that participants should possess a semblance of relevant ability.
Winterwatch Returns with Tough Debates
Packham's comments come as he prepares to return to screens alongside co-presenters Iolo Williams and Michaela Strachan for a new series of BBC Two's Winterwatch. The show will broadcast live from its new base at the National Trust’s Mount Stewart estate in County Down, Northern Ireland, a haven for wildlife including red squirrels.
One major topic for the series is the controversial future of feeding wild birds in UK gardens, a national pastime costing £350 million annually. Packham revealed that "the jury’s out" on whether the practice should continue due to risks of disease transmission via saliva.
"We really are between a rock and a hard place, and we're going to have to make some tough decisions," he said, comparing the potential behavioural shift to the gradual public acceptance of picking up dog waste. The show aims to present scientific research to help the public make informed choices.
Showing Nature's Raw Reality
The new series will also continue to present the unfiltered, sometimes brutal, reality of the natural world. This follows previous viewer shock when cameras captured a fox killing and eating a stoat.
"Our duty is to report accurately and dispassionately on what happens in the natural world," Packham argued. "No one cries when the blackbird eats the worms, but everyone gets upset when the fox eats the blackbird. Our job is to explain that there really isn't much difference."
While drawing the line at gratuitous content, he insists predation is a legitimate and important story. "I would argue that we do not sanitise to the extent that we censor," he said, acknowledging occasional debates within the production team about what to show.
The new series of Winterwatch begins on BBC Two on Tuesday at 7pm.
