BBC Presenter Chris Packham Faces Harassment Allegations Following Trail Hunt Livestream
BBC wildlife presenter Chris Packham has been accused of harassing trail hunters after broadcasting a five-hour livestream in which he described their activities as "medieval savagery." The Springwatch host joined hunt saboteurs and his stepdaughter, fellow presenter Megan McCubbin, to film members of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt in Dorset.
Government Plans to Ban Trail Hunting
The controversy emerges as the Labour government announced plans in December to ban trail hunting, a practice where hunters follow hounds searching for pre-laid scents rather than live animals. Critics argue this field sport, permitted since Tony Blair's administration banned fox hunting in 2004, often serves as a "smokescreen" for illegal fox killing.
During his extended broadcast on social media platform X, Packham told his 581,500 followers that the hunt was "openly fox hunting" and declared: "They simply don't care because they know they won't be held accountable. Well, it's time to hold them accountable for the crimes they are committing against wildlife, against people and against simple decency in the UK."
Countryside Campaigners Fight Back
Countryside campaigners have strongly objected to Packham's actions, accusing him of harassment and intimidation. Olly Hughes, managing director of the British Hound Sports Association, told the Telegraph: "Trail hunting is lawful, yet he repeatedly portrays it as criminal without evidence. That is intimidation, not debate."
Hughes further questioned Packham's BBC association, stating: "For someone so closely associated with the BBC, this behaviour raises serious questions about impartiality – particularly when other presenters have faced consequences for far less overt campaigning – and whether the director-general should now be reviewing Mr Packham's contract."
BBC Distances Itself from Packham's Actions
A BBC spokesperson responded by clarifying Packham's status: "Chris Packham is not a member of staff. He is a freelance presenter we hire a few times a year for his expertise. His private activities and views are his own, not the BBC's."
The 64-year-old presenter, who has hosted Springwatch since 2009 along with its seasonal spin-offs, has previously spoken about harassment he has faced for his anti-hunting campaigning, including a suspected arson attack on his home in 2021.
Contentious Livestream Content
Packham introduced Saturday's livestream by stating: "It's like I've got a Tardis and gone back in time to an ancient medieval savagery. Where a bunch of entitled lunatics, possibly sociopaths or psychopaths are riding around the countryside taking vicarious pleasure out of chasing wildlife and then watching it getting torn to pieces by dogs."
He later clarified: "Oh, no - actually it's the 21st century and I'm in Dorset on a Saturday morning watching this carnage." Throughout the broadcast, Packham branded participants as "entitled lunatics" and "psychopaths" while urging viewers to donate money to hunt saboteur causes, adding: "We need to put an end to this vile behaviour."
Government's Proposed Ban and Wider Implications
Environment minister Baroness Hayman confirmed in December: "In our manifesto we said we would ban trail hunting, and that's exactly what we'll do. There is evidence that trail hunting is being used as a smokescreen for the hunting of wild animals and that's not acceptable."
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, criticized the proposed legislation: "More legislation on trail hunting is the last thing the countryside needs and it is extraordinary that the Government thinks this is a priority. The last Labour government spent hundreds of hours of parliamentary time banning traditional hunting, but it remains obsessed with the issue."
The mooted trail hunting ban forms part of the government's broader Animal Welfare Strategy, which would also prohibit snare traps, outlaw shooting hares during breeding season, end puppy farming, and potentially ban electric shock dog collars.
Broader Rural Policy Context
The hunting debate occurs alongside other contentious rural policies, including inheritance tax reforms affecting farmers. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her 2024 Budget that farms worth over £1 million would be subject to inheritance tax from April 2026, though this threshold was later increased to £2.5 million following significant protests.
Bonner highlighted these concerns: "When rural people are reeling from the imposition of inheritance tax on family farms and a hike on rural business rates, the last thing they need is another attack on the countryside."
The Daily Mail has approached Chris Packham for comment regarding the harassment allegations, while the controversy continues to highlight deep divisions between wildlife activists and countryside traditions in contemporary Britain.
