Chris Packham unveils his first ever photography exhibition in Kent

  • WATCH: Video report by ITV Meridian's Joe Coshan

Chris Packham has unveiled his first ever photography exhibition in Kent, to celebrate his love of penguins.

There are 18 photographs on display at Taylor-Jones & Son gallery in Deal, featuring Chinstrap, Adelie and King Penguins.

The 'Penguins at Christmas' exhibition showcases three of the world’s 18 species of penguin, which were taken by Chris on four separate trips to the Antarctic.

The festive period is a great time to show love for the animals, who for many, have become synonymous with Christmas.

  • WATCH: Chris Packham explains what inspired his penguin photography and what he hopes visitors will get out of the exhibition

Chris said: "I suppose the curious thing is that penguins are in our lives, they're there in advertising, they're there in our books, we see them on television, they fill part and parcel of our lives, but of course, they are pretty much all of them living at the other end of the planet.

"Sometimes they can therefore be peculiarly out of sight and out of mind, in reality, and many of these species are in trouble.

"The whole world's under pressure, we're facing climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. We've lost 73% of all of our wildlife since 1970, and that includes some of our penguin species.

Chris Packham signing prints at the gallery in Deal on Sunday. Credit: ITV Meridian

"The exhibition is there to stimulate an affinity for penguins. Hopefully, a few photographers will think [the photos] are not too bad.

"But ultimately again, underpinning pretty much everything I do now, that awareness is about saying to people, okay you love a penguin, let's look after them."

Richard Taylor-Jones, Gallery Director said: "Packham has produced a show that is both fun and engaging, showing penguins to be the charismatic creatures they are, yet also vulnerable in an increasingly fragile landscape.

"Photography as a medium has become more and more collectable in the art world, particularly with well-known names and I have no doubt this show is going to be incredibly popular – we are very excited to be hosting it." 

Chris, who lives in the New Forest, will be signing prints at the gallery on Sunday (24 November).

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