Clarkson’s Farm fans call for Chris Packham to be ‘removed from TV’ after rant
Chris Packham during his Clarkson’s Farm rant (Image: CHANNEL 4)
Clarkson’s Farm and Celebrity Gogglebox viewers have started a petition to “remove” Chris Packham from TV following what they call his “sweeping, unfounded statements” about Jeremy Clarkson’s series. Springwatch presenter Packham prompted a number of Ofcom complaints after he criticised Clarkson’s Farm on last Friday’s episode of the Channel 4 programme.
The nature lover starred alongside his stepdaughter, Megan McCubbin, where he claimed Clarkson’s Farm paints an “idealistic view of a farm”, going on to add how “most farms are horrible monocultures” and stating the series “puts the wrong idea in people’s minds”. Ofcom received a total of 65 complaints regarding the Channel 4 show, with the bulk of complaints centred on Packham’s remarks. Following his comments, viewers have launched a petition with more than 1,600 signatures.
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Clarkson’s Farm is a Prime Video hit (Image: PRIME VIDEO)
The Change.org petition said: “Having been surrounded by the farming industry all my life, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication, hard work, and care that farmers put into managing the land and looking after livestock. Therefore, it is deeply distressing to hear public figures such as Chris Packham make sweeping, unfounded statements about the farming community.
“Recently, on Celebrity Gogglebox, Chris Packham accused farmers of damaging the land with chemicals and keeping animals in wooden crates where they are allegedly crushed. These wild claims are not only untrue but are a direct attack on the integrity and hard work of British farmers.”
The organiser said Packham’s comments had “incited anger” on the farming industry, adding: “We urge television networks and broadcasters to take responsibility and prevent false accusations which amplify misconceptions about the farming industry. Chris Packham should be removed from British television to protect our farmers and ensure that credible, fact-based information is what reaches the public.”
Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham (Image: Getty)
His remarks prompted Clarkson’s Farm stars Jeremy Clarkson and Harriet Cowan to defend the series, with Cowan taking to TikTok to challenge him.
In his column for The Sun, Clarkson recalled the occasion when Packham visited Diddly Squat Farm, saying: “If there had been some animals in a crate, being crushed, I’m sure he would have noticed and said something.”
The environmental campaigner Packham is yet to say anything in response to the backlash from Clarkson and viewers. The Express has reached out to Channel 4 and Packham’s representatives for a comment.
Some fans felt Packham was entitled to his opinion under freedom of speech, with another saying: “WHERE was the derogatory comments about Clarkson’s Farm? There was none. If anything it was a compliment to Clarkson’s farm that it ISN’T like most others.”
Another shared: “I’d say Packham is right in a huge amount of cases, but there are some farms that are better than others. Didn’t watch Gogglebox, but maybe he was saying Jeremy’s farm was an exception, and I’m no Packham fan.”
