‘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’.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Chris said: “It has been very positive actually. I think a lot of people have been very kind and flattering and they’ve said that they imagined that it must have taken some degree of bravery to speak so openly about it.
He continued: “I think that there are many in the UK who still suffer because of their autistic diagnosis or autistic traits.
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.
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.
Discussing the show’s innuendos, Chris told The Sun: “We often get told off afterwards, we have had a warning for pushing it. But we are trying to appeal to a broad audience.”
He added: “A lot of the millions of viewers of ‘Springwatch’ are not hardcore natural history watchers.