It might come as a surprise to a casual viewer, but the programme has aired some very controversial episodes over the years.
Along with and , Springwatch – presented by stars including and – has birthed a whole new generation of nature enthusiasts. That doesn’t mean it’s completely managed to keep itself out of hot water, though.
Recently, rival show has been slammed by viewers who demanded a “trigger warning” after Adam Henson inspected a bull’s testicles up close for the documentary series. One X user tweeted: “There needs to be a trigger warning for this show in future!” as the vet explained: “This guy next year should be settling 95% of his females over a nine-week period, so if he’s not good down there then he won’t be reaching those figures.”
But when it comes to Springwatch, what controversies has it faced over the years?
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Springwatch has aired a surprising number of controversial episodes (Image: BBC)
Bird killed on TV
The show was hit with furious backlash in 2023 for featuring an “evil” man who “should be in jail”. Frank Gardner presented a harrowing report on birds being illegally killed, with one gamekeeper shown beating a buzzard to death with a stick.
Viewers were left in tears as the presenter inspected the footage on a laptop, with one posting: “It was so hard to watch. Why did that evil little man get a suspended sentence when you had the vile little stain bang to rights?”
Another said: “The footage is just horrific. I saw it a while back and it left me feeling broken, physically sick, in tears and helpless. But these things need to be seen, nothing comes from being silent about the wrongs in the world. Keep up the good work exposing these scum!”
Tragic deaths
2022 was also fraught with controversy as Springwatch covered a segment on avian flu in one of its darkest ever episodes. With Megan McCubbin at Hauxely Nature Reserve, she waded through dead birds along the beach.
Megan narrated: “Behind me is the wonderful Coquet Island with a beautiful colony of seabirds on it. But literally ten metres from my feet was a dead gannet. I walked on, another ten metres there was another dead gannet. And if I’d continued along that beach, I’m sure I would have found a lot more.”
One viewer branded the segment “horrific”, as they wrote: “Jeez, horrific news shown on #Springwatch about avian flu in wild birds. Suspect it needs concerted action by governments to stop the conditions in which these pathogens originate (intensive poultry farms) and import/export of poultry.”
Another said: “Terrible to see the effects of bird flu. Yet another illness brought to us by the Far East and their treatment of animals. Why isn’t more of an issue made of this?”
Bill Oddie came under fire for his ‘perverse’ remarks (Image: Getty)
‘Perverse’ remarks
In 2012, viewers lashed out at the show over Bill Oddie’s presenting style – slamming his “smutty” innuendos. Watching some sparrows mating, he quipped: “The female is asking for it – and getting it basically.
“She was fluttering her wings and pretending to be a child – that’s kind of weird when you think about it. Oh and again. She is doing that wing-fluttering thing like that as if to say ‘I am a baby, feed me’, she is getting quite the opposite basically.”
He added: “That’s a wing-trembler she’s just had there.” More innuendo about stag beetles followed, as he narrated: “He crash lands on top of a likely looking lady, there’s a bit of luck. One thing is sure this boy is horny.”
Fans branded the narration “downright embarrassing”, with one tweeting: “I am sick to death of the constant innuendo being offered by Bill every time a scene of mating appears.
“It isn’t funny or witty… just downright embarrassing when you are watching it with children of my daughter’s age. For example being asked by my ten-year-old ‘what does horny mean daddy?’ when watching mating stag beetles isn’t right.
“Mating scenes are perfectly acceptable, but can we please be grown up about it and stop the silly almost perverse comments please.”
Another said: “This is schoolboy sniggering behind the bike sheds type of humour from Bill Oddie and it’s out of place in a programme which is otherwise marvellously educational for all age groups.”