BBC Springwatch's Chris Packham pays tribute to Michaela Strachan

and are quite the pairing on , with Chris admitting that they'd "never let each other down". He has now paid tribute to her, after decades of friendship and 13 years of working together on the show.

"Menopausal and autistic - what a combination! She's grown up with my quirks," he exclaimed to the . "I'm not a sociable person, so Michaela has to invite herself to my house in the New Forest, where she's always welcome." Despite her having to make the first move whenever she wants to spend time with her pal, Chris made it clear that him not being proactive in their relationship was far from a snub.

"We have a compatibility through difference," he explained, adding: "We'd never let one another down."

Michaela, also renowned for taking on shows like BBC's Pilgrimage, reciprocated the praise about their unconventional pairing as a TV duo.

"I'm a menopausal woman and Chris is an autistic bloke! He's a delight to work with," she declared.

"We've known each other for 30-odd years so we play to each other's strengths; he's got the science background [a BSc in zoology] and I'm the storyteller," Michaela continued.

"I used to feel inadequate because his knowledge is unbelievable. Now I'm comfortable with what I bring to the show."

Chris, who is due to make an appearance at this weekend's Hay Festival in the idyllic Welsh market town of Hay-on-Wye, wasn't shy about admitting he and Michaela have their disagreements.

However, they never let it come between them - and they focus on delivering the best possible episodes of Springwatch.

The show returns next week, when it will celebrate the milestone moment of 20 years on screen - and the pair will return to take a closer look at the wildlife of the Peak District's Longshaw Estate, owned by the National Trust.

With the unpredictability of the natural world, neither are sure exactly what's coming up, with Michaela admitting: "The delight of Springwatch is that we never know!"