Chris Packham says Sir David Attenborough tried to “convince” him to become an opera fan.
Chris Packham says Sir David Attenborough has tried to get him into opera
The ‘Springwatch’ star - who has known the 97-year-old broadcaster since he was a teenager - has received loads of “great advice” and has learnt a lot from the ‘Blue Planet’ star, and sometimes wildlife is not the only thing they discuss together.
The 62-year-old nature expert told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I met him in Florida ... We spent the whole evening together and he tried to convince me that opera was a good thing. I’ve had a lot of great advice from David but I’ve not got into the opera.”
Chris admitted it is “always a joy” to hang out with David, and he has a little tradition of giving him an artefact from “the natural world”.
He said: “I always make a point of taking something and giving him something, a bit of the natural world.
"The last time I saw him I gave him a feather and then the time before that, I can’t remember what it was, and a little while ago I gave him an intervertebral disc from a Fin whale. He loves it of course.”
The ex ‘The Really Wild Show’ star said the ‘Wild Isles’ narrator is “on really good form” as he approaches 100.
Chris said: “He’s 97, he’s obviously stepped back and he’s not doing as much work. When did I last see him? It must have been before Christmas now, or maybe just after Christmas and he was on really good form, really good form.
"I went to the car, to help him out of the car and he just leapt out and started off down the pavement.
"He is the greatest broadcaster there has ever been, the greatest advocate for the natural world that you will ever have, he’s inspired generations around the world to develop a love for life on earth. To call him a natural treasure is an insult because it’s an understatement, he’s a global treasure.”
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