Daily Mail
October 22, 2013
And the world of TV wildlife presenters is no different, according to veteran BBC host Michaela Strachan.
Insisting ‘you can’t fight stereotypes’, the Autumnwatch star says her male co-stars take on the role of expert – while women are simply there as ‘enthusiasts’.
Risking the wrath of feminists, the 47-year-old claimed men are ‘wired’ differently, making it easier for them to learn the names and categories of animal species.
Women, meanwhile, care about ‘emotional problems’, she says.
As one of TV’s best-known female presenters, Miss Strachan returns to screens on October 29 for the new series of the BBC2 wildlife show alongside Chris Packham, 52, and 57-year-old Martin Hughes-Games.
She said: ‘Chris’s knowledge is phenomenal. I’m not anywhere near as knowledgeable as him, particularly on birds. I remember when I took the role on. I have enthusiasm and interest, but not the knowledge that Chris does.
‘Some people might say it’s a shame that it’s a female role that’s like that, but it’s very representative of people who are interested in wildlife. Chris and I have spoken about it often.
‘If you look at birders, 90 per cent are men, 10 per cent are women. It’s the way we’re wired. Women would like to know the emotions of a bird rather than its name and what category it goes in. Sometimes you can’t fight stereotypes.
‘Women have their strengths and weaknesses. Men are very different, and have theirs.’