For decades, Chris Packham has encouraged us to look more closely at the natural world, and more recently he has been asking us to think differently about our place within it. That combination of curiosity and conviction has made him one of the most distinctive voices on British television.
Our cover story this week finds Packham as you’ve never seen him before. It’s a terrific interview by Pete Paphides, accompanied by Richard Ansett’s striking photography.
We caught up with him to talk about his new BBC series Evolution. As always, he is prepared to provoke when he believes it matters, and yet never loses sight of the wonder that first drew him to the natural world as a child.
Recalling an encounter while filming his new series, he says that if someone had told his six-year-old self that one day he would be swimming alongside wild dolphins in the Bahamas “he would have burst”. It’s a lovely moment of perspective from someone who still sees the world with childlike amazement.
Finally, everyone at Radio Times was saddened to hear of the death of Dame Penelope Keith. Her performances, from The Good Life to To the Manor Born, are part of the fabric of British TV, and her wit, intelligence and impeccable comic timing delighted generations of viewers.
She leaves an extraordinary legacy on the stage and screen, and she will be greatly missed. Our tribute to her is inside this week’s issue.
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Also in this week’s Radio Times:
- Meet the stars of the new Moana film Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson – plus a side order of Monica Galetti.
- Can Fake or Fortune’s Fiona Bruce and Philip Mould prove that a Fabergé lily is the real deal?
- Catch every concert with our guide to the BBC Proms.
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