Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, said:

“We would like to congratulate our Ambassador, Chris Packham, on his brilliant and deeply moving BBC documentary Inside Our Autistic Minds, which shares the stories of four autistic people, Flo, Murray, Anton, Ethan and their families.

“We’ve received an overwhelming response on our social media channels from autistic people and their families who saw their experiences reflected in the programme, but also from viewers who have learned more about autism through watching it. This is why autistic representation on our TV screens is so important to increase understanding of autism.

“Almost everyone has heard of autism now, but too few people appreciate what it’s like to be autistic, both the different perspectives, passions and skills autistic people can have, and how hard life can be without the right support.

“This is slowly changing as more people in the public eye, and from a range of backgrounds, talk openly about being autistic, and as representation continues to improve, including through documentaries like Inside Our Autistic Minds.

“Better public understanding of autism across society could transform hundreds of thousands of autistic people's lives.”