Countryfile presenter Chris Packham has been accused of harassing huntsmen for hours over the weekend. The BBC presenter and his stepdaughter, Megan McCubbin, have come under fire for allegedly harassing members of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt across the Dorset countryside on Saturday (February 7). The 64-year-old conservationist was supported by members of the North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs, armed with drones and thermal imaging equipment to track the hunt.  

During a livestream shared on social media, the Springwatch host described the scene as “ancient medieval savagery”, branding participants “a bunch of entitled lunatics, possibly sociopaths or psychopaths.” He went on to accuse those involved in the hunt of “riding around the countryside taking vicarious pleasure out of chasing wildlife and then watching it getting torn to pieces by dogs.”

He added sarcastically that he was not witnessing history but was “in Dorset on a Saturday morning watching this carnage”. The managing director of the British Hound Sports Association, Olly Hughes, accused the broadcaster of using “harassment of the hunting community as a campaigning tool”.

Mr Hughes told The Telegraph: “Trail hunting is lawful, yet he repeatedly portrays it as criminal without evidence. That is intimidation, not debate.” He also voiced concerns about the presenter’s relationship with the BBC, arguing that “other presenters have faced consequences for far less overt campaigning.”

The director questioned whether the corporation’s director-general should now review his contractual arrangements. During the five-hour broadcast, Mr Packham praised hunt saboteurs, claiming they regularly faced “threats, verbal abuse and all sorts of violence” from hunt supporters.  

He also urged viewers to donate to support their work to end trail hunting in the UK. Packham wasn’t the only person to speak out during the broadcast, as Ms McCubbin can be heard saying: “We are hot on the trail of one of the most notorious fox hunts in the UK.  

“They’ve had their drink of port, and they’ve gathered together and set out in this direction.” She then branded the group “a particularly bad group.” But since their broadcast, the saboteur group’s conduct has also sparked scrutiny.  

Back in December 2022, a member of the North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs was fined nearly £1,000 after assaulting an 82-year-old landowner during a confrontation with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. Video footage showed a woman striking the man on the head with a camera, which caused him to sustain a bleeding injury.  

When approached for a comment, a BBC spokesman told Express.co.uk: “He is a freelance presenter we work with a few times a year for his expertise. His private activities and views are his own and not those of the BBC.”