Chris Packham calls for more autism openness

Springwatch presenter Chris Packham has urged people to speak more openly about autism as he told of the positive feedback he had received after writing about his life with Asperger syndrome.

The TV nature expert has filmed a one-off documentary about his condition and last year wrote a book, Fingers In The Sparkle Jar: A Memoir, detailing his experiences since being diagnosed in 2005, at the age of 44.

Commenting on readers’ responses to his book, he said: “It has been very positive actually. I think a lot of people have been very kind and flattering and they’ve said that they imagined that it must have taken some degree of bravery to speak so openly about it.” 0 Presenter Chris Packham has Asperger syndrome

An active wildlife campaigner, he described his approach to mental health as similar to his attitude towards conservation issues.

“The more that we can bring this into the open and have discussions about it, the better people who aren’t autistic can understand the condition,” he said.