It was never going to be a wildlife series but we were drawing parallels with previous life. On a cliff in Chile, there were Andean condors, and one pooed on me – I was elated to be pooed on by such a magnificent animal! We also went to a Mexican cenote [cave-like sinkhole] inhabited by millions of bats. They created a vortex as they spiralled out, it was like they turned on the air conditioning.” What locations did you visit? This is an informative, visually arresting introduction to planet Earth. The core of the book features large, detailed photographs of single objects, many of them small enough to be held in the hand, that each speak volumes about an aspect of Earth's environments and how they work. For example, bubbles of ancient air trapped inside an Antarctic ice core reveal how Earth's climate has changed over time. A piece of pumice thrown several miles into the air by a volcano helps to explain what happens when tectonic plates collide.

Earth: Over 4 Billion Years in the Making by Chris Packham

We went to Iceland to see volcanic regions, that was spectacular. I also liked the historical nature of a temple complex in Mexico, which was in a biosphere reserve with brilliant wildlife. Then in Chile, it's incredibly hot, dry and high and it parallels early hostile environments where species didn't only survive, they prospered.” Are there any similarities between Earth’s previous challenges and the ones we are facing now? You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.

The most epic moments from the Earth's history ... Crammed with loads of interesting trivia' Closer Actually, he says, planning the future is pointless, because he can’t envisage it. Sure, his diary is full for the next few months, but beyond that he finds it impossible to make long-term plans. “Charlotte says I’m like an alien because I don’t generate an imagined future. But expectations are one of the most dangerous things you can have in life. If you have expectations of people, they will fail you. If you have expectations of yourself, you’ll fail yourself. Whenever I’ve been foolish enough to generate any expectation, I’ve always failed myself.” I don’t like looking at myself. I don’t watch myself on TV. I don’t like myself mentally, let alone physically. I can just about look in the mirror to shave This is an informative, visually arresting introduction to planet Earth. The core of The Science of the Earth features large, detailed photographs of single objects, many of them small enough to be held in the hand, that each speak volumes about an aspect of Earth's environments and how they work. For example, bubbles of ancient air trapped inside an Antarctic ice core reveal how Earth's climate has changed over time. A piece of pumice thrown several miles into the air by a volcano helps to explain what happens when tectonic plates collide.

Earth – HarperCollins Earth – HarperCollins

Traces some of the greatest eruptions, freezes and moments of sheer destruction in Earth’s history … A reminder that the planet is more indifferent to us than we care to admit” - IFL Science Did fellow students think he was a freak? “Yeah.” Did he think he was a freak? “Yeah I did, and I didn’t want to be a freak, and it made me really angry.” With himself or others? “Both. I didn’t have a lot of time for my peers at that point. There was a lot of aggression.” Was he tough? “I wasn’t particularly tough, but I wouldn’t take bullying. I wasn’t good at controlling my temper. I subsequently learned to control it. When you’re a kid and it seems it’s you versus the world, you tend to lash out.” The most epic moments from the Earth’s history … Crammed with loads of interesting trivia” - Closer The obsession carried on until the mid-1980s, when he was working for the BBC, co-presenting the children’s wildlife series The Really Wild Show. “I needed to go to the graveside and I was late for one of the shows. I couldn’t help myself; I had to go.” Did he tell people on the show? “No, of course not. Nobody ever knew about that. I couldn’t tell anybody.”

Chris Packham, Andrew Cohen Press Reviews

We talk about the recent libel case. I ask how important the victory was. “It’s not finished. Part of the case won’t be heard till November. That’s about the accusation that I wrote a death threat letter to myself, posted it to myself, wasted an enormous amount of police time and terrified my family. They’ve made films about it. This is a different group of people called Fieldsports Channel.” Combines the natural history of programmes such as David Attenborough’s Planet Earth with the planetary focus of Brian Cox’s Universe to show how their interconnectivity has created and sometimes almost obliterated life on Earth” - Guardian A beautiful, full colour book to accompany the 5 part BBC TV series telling the most important story of all, the deep history of our own planet.

Earth: Over 4 Billion Years in the Making – HarperCollins

New Sports Biographies and Autobiographies: Gift a Book for the Sports Fan In Your Life this Christmas It’s not a climate change series but we draw comparisons. We look at previous climate change events millions of years ago, and the scientists now have the capacity to understand what it could mean to us. That should spur us into doing something.

CHRIS & MEGAN’S NEW BOOK

Combines the natural history of programmes such as David Attenborough’s Planet Earth with the planetary focus of Brian Cox’s Universe’ Guardian He pauses. “Here’s a question: what would Sir David be like if he were my age? I’m a bit spiky, aren’t I? I’m a campaigner, a straight talker. I know we’re in deep, deep shit, and if people like me don’t stand up and say that, and try to instigate rapid change, all the science says we’re in trouble. So that’s part and parcel of my job. That hasn’t been his job. But if he were my age, would he be doing what I am doing? I’d like to think the answer is yes, because our passion for the natural world has almost complete commonality. We are driven by a desire to protect it, we love it, we think it’s beautiful, we understand its fragility.”

Earth: Over 4 Billion Years in the Making - William Collins

If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for 65 € per month. Traces some of the greatest eruptions, freezes and moments of sheer destruction in Earth's history ... A reminder that the planet is more indifferent to us than we care to admit' IFL Science This is a biography of a special planet, which has had some extraordinary events shaping its life. It's a rollercoaster, things do well, things do badly. Physical, planetary forces have changed life but life has had an impact on the atmosphere, the climate, the sea and the Earth’s surface. There's constant fluxing.” Did you have any favourite moments from filming? The Top 25 Christmas Cookbooks for 2023: A Smorgasbord of Inspiration for a Happy Foodie This ChristmasHe stares down at the table as he talks, or glances to the side. He might not be able to look me in the eye, yet he’s one of the most disarmingly open people I’ve met. What’s difficult to grasp is how somebody so withdrawn from the human world could make such a successful career for himself in television. In his early 20s, he worked as a camera assistant on nature documentaries such as The Living Planet. By his mid-20s, he was on The Really Wild Show. He looked so cool and confident – a peroxide-haired punk who seemed totally at ease with the world. “When I started TV, somebody said to me, ‘You can either be confident or not give a shit,’ so I think it’s not giving a shit. If we’re doing something like Springwatch, it’s not brain surgery; nobody ever dies because you messed something up on television. You’ve got to keep things in perspective. I try to do my job well, I try to maximise my professionalism. I work very hard at that. But I don’t take the overall thing seriously.” For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial.