Chris Packham punk documentary features University of Northampton

A BBC Four documentary which tracks TV presenter Chris Packham’s love affair with punk rock music features students and staff from the University of Northampton.

Chris Packham: Forever Punk sees the environmentalist and life-long punk reveal how, as a teenager with undiagnosed Asperger’s, punk rock may have saved his life.

During the programme, which airs on BBC Four on Friday 10 January, Chris interviews University Vice Chancellor, Nick Petford, who was in Southampton’s first punk outfit, Strate Jacket, at the age of 16, back in 1977.

Chris Packham interviewing Nick Petford about his punk days.

Chris, who grew up in Southampton, revealed to Nick that he was a huge Strate Jacket fan, who attended their gigs and hung around outside the band’s rehearsal room to secretly listen to them practice.

During the filming at Waterside Campus, which took place in April 2019, Chris also joined UON students for a presentation on the punk movement in Northern Ireland, from Senior Lecturer in Media Production, Roy Wallace.

The University’s Chancellor, Reverend Richard Coles, was also interviewed for the programme.

Chris Packham: Forever Punk airs on BBC Four on Friday 10 January at 9.30pm and is repeated the following morning at 1.30am.

Chris Packham revealed to Nick Petford he’d secretly listen to his band rehearsing in the late 1970s.

Chris with lecturer Roy Wallace (black top) and students.