‘Springwatch’ Presenter Chris Packham Opens Up About Living With Asperger’s Syndrome: ‘People Like Me Do Have Something To Offer’

'Unless we talk about them openly, we can’t do anything about them.'
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Springwatch’ presenter Chris Packham has opened up about living with Asperger’s, which he was diagnosed with in 2005 at the age of 44.

The conservationist says he has had a “positive” reaction from people after writing about his condition - a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others - in his memoir ‘Fingers In The Sparkle Jar’.

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Chris was diagnosed in 2005.
Roberto Ricciuti via Getty Images

The 56-year-old presenter, who is set to document his experience in an hour-long documentary for the BBC later this year, added that people with Asperger’s have a lot to offer.

Earlier this month, Chris admitted that his occasional on-air innuendos on ‘Springwatch’ have landed him in trouble with show bosses.

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The 'Springwatch' team
BBC

The nature presenter, and co-host Michaela Strachan, have been known to drop a few double-entendres into the wildlife show, whether they’re admiring a pair of “great tits”, giggling about “cock in the flesh” or, indeed, quizzing one another about “deep shags”.

But while we as viewers can be found chuckling along at home, it seems producers are less keen when Chris and Michaela throw in a few cheap gags.