CHRIS Packham was seen breaking down in tears in his new TV documentary about living with autism.
The Countryfile presenter met with Radio 2 host Ken Bruce’s son Murray, 20, who is non verbal and autistic.
Chris got emotional as he read a letter from Murray
Murray is non-verbal and communicates using a tablet
Chris, 61, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in 2015, hosted the first segment of Inside Our Autistic Minds.
The Springwatch presenter met with other autistic people across the two-part programme to reveal what’s really going on inside their minds.
Last night’s first episode saw Chris meet with Murray, who had no form of communication until he was nine years old.
The young man now communicates by typing out what he is thinking, feeling and wants to say to others onto a tablet.
Murray was left overwhelmed meeting Chris, who kindly gave him some time and space to write him out a message.
But the TV presenter was later left breaking down in tears after reading the heartfelt piece he sent, where Murray described feeling “lonely”.
“I was alone in my world of deep and troubled pining for a person to hear me. I would wonder if that day would ever come,” Chris read aloud.
The star was seen getting choked up, taking off his glasses and wiping away tears as he told viewers he was “emotional”.
“I mean frankly, it’s enough to bring a tear to your eye, isn’t it?” he reacted to the message.
“I don’t know whether it’s because I have some form of affinity for Murray, but I find that incredibly touching and a bit sentimental.”
Earlier this month, Chris opened up on his own childhood as he revealed he was severely bullied over his autism.
Chris said he struggled with the condition, which can affect the way a person communicates and interacts with other people, among other symptoms.
“I never forget that I’m lucky to be here,” Chris told Radio Times of his troubled youth due to the diagnosis.
“Because I came very close to taking my own life on several occasions in my youth – when autism is most difficult to deal with – and even as an adult.”
Chris said that he worries the situation is now worse for teenagers.
“Today there are teenagers who are sat alone in their bedrooms with no tunnel in view, let alone a light at the end of it,” he continued.
“We have learned so much about the condition since I was growing up in the 1960s, yet young people are still suffering. That’s unconscionable.”
Last month Chris revealed that he was taking a break from TV because of creative frustration, rather than burnout.
The decision marked the first time in nearly four decades since Chris skipped out on his presenting duties.
Inside Our Autistic Minds continues next Tuesday at 9pm on BBC Two
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https://thecelebreport.com/television/i-was-on-love-island-this-series-and-there-was-a-secret-feud-and-huge-rows-you-didnt-see-claims-ellie-spence
