Naturalist Chris Packham in social media spat with Jeremy Clarkson after he criticised legendary environmentalist Sir David Attenborough and his Blue Planet show

TV naturalist Chris Packham is making headlines again – just a week after being cleared by police of breaking the law when he sniffed a goshawk.

The New Forest celebrity is in a social media spat with former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson over his criticism of legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

Chris has taken exception to a national newspaper column Jeremy penned in which he moaned about the latest series of Planet Earth that David (97) has been presenting, even going so far as to say he “hates” the BBC programme.

In the Sun newspaper, Jeremy criticised Sir David’s commentary, saying that although the filming of the series was good, his words accompanying it were irritating.

“Oh the photography is brilliant,” he wrote. “Spellbinding even. But the words are driving me insane.”

He then went on to say that every creature the broadcaster described was always followed by him pointing out that it was in danger because of climate change.

Clarkson went on: “All we ever get is, ‘Here’s a see-through fish with an orange stomach, and its future is threatened by climate change, and then it’s: ‘Here’s something with pointy teeth and soon it will be wiped out by global warming’.

“We know already. So please, in future, tell us about the animals, not the b****y weather.”

An enraged Chris took to X – formerly known as Twitter – in defence of his fellow environmental campaigner, saying: “Not content with fantasies of throwing s**t over members of the royal family he now slams the world's greatest broadcaster and the man who has done more than anyone has or ever will to protect life on earth . . . What a massive c**kchafer'.”

Fans of David’s backed Chris, with one saying: “Jeremy, a man full of himself. Sir David, a man full of the wonder of Life.”

Another person wrote: “Nobody gets to criticise David Attenborough he is a legend.”

The Springwatch presenter was recently cleared of illegally sniffing a goshawk, which he did while filming with Forestry England in the New Forest where he lives.

As reported in the A&T, a viewer of The One Show, on which the segment was shown, complained to the police whose officers cleared Chris of any wrongdoing following an investigation.

No stranger to controversy, Jeremy had to apologise earlier this year after saying in his column he wanted Meghan Markle to “parade naked” through the streets.

It prompted a record-breaking 25,100 complaints to The Independent Press Standards Organisation.

This week Chris settled a defamation claim against website Fieldsports Channel after it claimed he had faked a death threat letter to himself.

Chris, who had to call in police over the incident, won substantial damages and costs against the online hunting, shooting and fishing channel.

Speaking after the matter was settled, Chris said: “Fieldsports TV displayed a complete contempt of even the basic codes of real journalism.

“They allowed a vicious vendetta to drive a targeted catalogue of lies in an attempt to destroy my credibility, integrity and reputation.”

Fieldsports has issued an apology to the TV presenter.