Interview with Chris Packham

Why did you want to be involved in this series?
I have a great passion for dogs and I’ve always had a great relationship with my own dogs. I like them as companions, as animals and friends and they have always played a massive role in my life. As a consequence I’ve always liked to eavesdrop on other people’s relationships with their dogs. It’s something that gives me pleasure, seeing them engaging with their animals, building that bond and I have always found that rewarding. It lifts my spirits seeing someone love their dogs.

These aren’t trained or working dogs, but they are companion animals and there’s a great rang of breeds and diversity too. I’m a really competitive person myself, and even though I’m not competing it was good to see them compete together, although the competition is very much secondary to what they were learning about their dogs and their relationships. 

What did you get from the series?
I genuinely left thinking we have improved these people’s lives, and their dogs lives, and their lives together.

What do you hope the audience take away from the show?
I hope people take away the joy that the relationship can bring, and the reward, and how useful it can be to people like me who get on better with dogs than most people. And as a consequence, I hope they have a greater respect for that bond people have with their dogs. There isn’t a person in the programme who doesn’t deeply love that animal and who doesn’t want to make sure their health and well-being are paramount importance.

This programme is a celebration of a man and animal which has been going for many years but is still as strong today. It’s very much a feel-good programme and for those who have dogs then there’s a lot to learn about the science of how dogs live and how we live with them.

How would you describe this programme in three words?
Science, competition and banter.

Biography

Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham has had a long and successful career on TV, beginning with The Really Wild Show in 1986 and more recently Springwatch, Autumnwatch, and Winterwatch, Nature’s Weirdest Events, World’s Weirdest Events, Inside the Animal Mind, Operation Iceberg and Secrets Of Our Living Planet.

In 2010 Chris was awarded the Dilys Breese BTO Medal for his outstanding work in promoting science to new audiences. He was voted Conservation Hero Of The Year (2014) in the Birders’ Choice Awards (Birdwatch magazine). In 2015 he reached second place in The Wildlife Power List featured in the BBC Wildlife Magazine. In October 2016 Chris earned the top honour at the Wildscreen Panda Awards - The Christopher Parsons Award for Outstanding Achievement - in recognition of his significant contribution to wildlife filmmaking, conservation and the public’s understanding of the environment.

Earlier in 2016 he was made honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Southampton, where he had graduated 30 years before.

Programme Information

• Episode one
• Episode two