Born:
May 04, 1961
in
Southampton
Best Known For:
Presenting a string of wildlife programmes.
Early-life:
Christopher Gary Packham was born in Southampton on May 4, 1961. His sister, Jenny, is a fashion designer. Chris studied zoology at his home city's university and was going to do a PhD, but instead, after meeting wildlife film-maker Stephen Bullwell, he decided to train with him as a cameraman. Chris's big break came in 1985 when he began working as a presenter on the BBC's children's TV series The Really Wild Show.
Career:
After seven years presenting The Really Wild Show, Chris set up his own TV company - Head Over Heels TV - where he made wildlife shows for ITV, Channel 4, Animal Planet, National Geographic and the BBC. More recently he has returned to his first love, working on and presenting TV shows, and can regularly be seen on BBC Two presenting Autumnwatch and Springwatch. He is active in many wildlife conservation bodies: he is vice-president of the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, and the Brent Lodge Bird & Wildlife Trust, and is a patron of Population Matters.
Quote:
On being a sex symbol: "I suppose I am the only clean-shaven man in ornithology."
Trivia:
In 2011, he was awarded the British Trust for Ornithology's Dilys Breese Medal.