A row has erupted between broadcaster Chris Packham and Jeremy Clarkson after comments Mr Packham made on Celebrity Gogglebox about the illustrated opening sequence of Clarkson’s Farm.
Watching the Amazon Prime series, Mr Packham said of the animation: “That’s not what a farm looks like. Most farms are horrible monocultures which have been sprayed with deadly chemicals… the ground has been pumped full of fertiliser and most of the animals are indoors, in crates, being crushed and kept in the dark.”
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Mr Clarkson hit back in his latest Sun column, describing Mr Packham as “endlessly angry” and pointing out that the sequence was “a drawing”.
He also recalled Mr Packham visiting Diddly Squat in 2012 for birdwatching and foraging.
He added that if animals had been “in a crate, being crushed”, he was sure the naturalist would have raised concerns at the time.
Strong reaction
Mr Packham’s comments sparked a strong reaction from the farming community on Instagram.
One commentator, @therural_rebel, accused Mr Packham of “spreading [a] hateful agenda”, insisting that “most farms are not monocultures” and rejecting claims that livestock are kept in the conditions he described.
Meanwhile, the Countryside Alliance’s Mo Metcalf-Fisher praised Clarkson’s Farm for showcasing the realities of modern farming and highlighting the work farmers do to produce food while caring for the countryside.
Agricultural commentator @agrispec_tom also challenged Mr Packham’s remarks, arguing they ignored decades of progress in animal welfare, environmental management and production efficiency.
