BBC chiefs have rejected calls to sack Hampshire broadcaster Chris Packham over his controversial attack on wildlife charities.

The Countryside Alliance has accused the Springwatch presenter of abusing his position by promoting what it described as an “increasingly extreme” animal rights agenda.

The organisation claims Mr Packham should be gagged or sacked over an article he wrote for the latest edition of the BBC Wildlife magazine.

But the BBC is standing by the 54-year-old presenter, who lives in the New Forest.

A spokesman said: “Chris Packham is a scientist and author in his own right and is not solely employed by the BBC.

“If he wishes to express his personal views outside of his employment on BBC Natural History programmes, he is entitled to do so.”

The Southampton-born broadcaster came under fire from countryside campaigners after he accused wildlife organisations of failing to oppose the potential return of foxhunting.

He also accused the National Trust and the Hawk and Owl Trust of refusing to support a campaign to highlight the killing of hen harriers by gamekeepers.

Mr Packham, who made his name presenting The Really Wild Show, claimed the charities, were guilty of “fence-sitting and ineffectual risk avoidance”.

The article has already prompted denials from the charities, who described his accusations as baseless.

Now Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, has complained to the BBC.

It follows an earlier controversy in which Mr Packham was reprimanded by the BBC for using “intemperate” language when using social media to accuse farmers involved in badger culls of being “brutalist thugs, liars and frauds”.

Mr Bonner said: “He has continued to use the fame given to him by his work for the BBC to promote an increasingly extreme agenda.

“There is no issue with people voicing such opinions but using the position granted by a public service broadcaster to promote an extreme agenda is a different thing entirely.

“The BBC knows this and has been forced to act once but it has also ignored other complaints and failed to address its employee’s obvious abuse of his position.”

Mr Bonner claimed that the BBC had given Mr Packham a platform from which to engage in his “obsessive crusades”.

He added: “It is difficult to see how the situation can change.

“If it does not, then the only answer can be to remove the BBC from Chris Packham’s biography by refusing to employ him anymore.”

But Matt Swaine, editor of BBC Wildlife Magazine, said: “Chris Packham is clearly expressing his own views in the column and part of the magazine’s role is to be a forum for exactly this kind of discussion.

“That’s why we will be giving any named charities a right of reply in the November issue.”

Mr Packham was unavailable for comment last night.