Chris Packham has said that Jeremy Clarkson “antagonises situations” in order to stimulate discussion, suggesting the pair may have more in common than many assume.
Clarkson, best known for his years on Top Gear and The Grand Tour, has in recent years become closely associated with British farming after purchasing Diddly Squat Farm near Chadlington in 2008. He began managing the 1,000-acre Oxfordshire holding himself in 2019, documenting the experience in the Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm, which has run for four seasons, with a fifth confirmed.
Through the programme and his newspaper columns, Clarkson has positioned himself as an outspoken advocate for farmers, including publicly criticising changes to inheritance tax affecting agricultural estates. His commentary has often blended political argument with the irreverent humour that defined his motoring career.
Among those occasionally on the receiving end of his jokes has been Packham, the long-standing presenter of Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch. The naturalist, known for his environmental campaigning and wildlife conservation work, has frequently been perceived as occupying the opposite end of the rural debate from Clarkson.
Last year, Clarkson wrote on social media that he remained active on the platform partly because he knew it would “wind up Packham” — a remark that reinforced the public perception of rivalry.
However, speaking to The Telegraph, Packham struck a notably measured tone. He described Clarkson as “extraordinarily hospitable” and suggested their approaches are not entirely dissimilar.
“He’s like myself,” Packham said. “He sometimes sees the need to antagonise a situation to promote a conversation.”
Packham added that he believes Clarkson has, in some respects, moved closer to environmental arguments in recent years. He cited Clarkson’s comments last August questioning the effectiveness of the badger cull — a controversial policy aimed at controlling bovine tuberculosis.
“For him to have said that as a farmer is very valid,” Packham noted. “That’s great.”
Packham has presented Springwatch since 2009 and previously fronted the children’s nature programme The Really Wild Show. Alongside his broadcasting career, he has become one of the UK’s most recognisable wildlife campaigners.
The remarks suggest that while their public personas may appear combative, the relationship between the two figures is more nuanced than many viewers assume. Both have used their platforms to provoke debate — albeit from different starting points — within ongoing conversations about farming, conservation and the future of the British countryside.
