Countryfile's Adam Henson hints at clash with BBC star
Adam Henson says that Chris Packham might not be a "great fan" of his. Joining farmers Sam Harty and Rob Fenwick on The Tweedl Pod, Adam, 59, revealed that he'd met the Springwatch star "a couple of times," but is well aware that his farming business is something that Chris opposes.
A vocal opponent of industrial farming, Chris, 63, has stated that farms are "choking the planet" and criticises them as the "leading driver of biodiversity loss" around the world.
Speaking with Robert Preston, Chris said: "Animal agriculture is a significant contributor when it comes to climate breakdown. And critically, animal agriculture is the leading driver of biodiversity loss everywhere in the world. So if we want to look after our ecosystems, and that includes looking after ourselves, we have to move away, transition away from animal agriculture."
In stark contrast, Adam continues to run Bemborough Farm in Gloucestershire, which he inherited from his father in the 1990s.
Asked about his working relationship with Chris, Adam replied: "I've met him a couple of times and he's an incredibly intelligent man, very vocal, sometimes single focussed, and there's been a programme about his Aspergers and how his mind works.
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"And I'm not sure he's a great fan of me, I don't think he particularly likes people like me, but I've got nothing against him personally. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and what we have to learn to do is to deal with it in a sensible, measured way."
For Adam, farming is a family tradition and he's been helping out at Bemborough since his childhood. According to his official website, the TV star described it as a "great start to life".
Echoing this sentiment in an article for The Country Smallholder, Adam recalled: "It was an idyllic place to grow up. Having 1,600 acres in your back garden was fantastic – what a place to play! My children now enjoy the same sort of childhood. And now I have the privilege of showing the world of farming to people on television. It's great to show the reality of it."
"The BBC comes to film every Monday and Tuesday and those are very long days!" Adam continued. "As we are on every week, we do live in a goldfish bowl and most people have an opinion. We are very open to criticism and people often write in to tell us what they think!"