Actor Martin Clunes, patron for wildlife protection charity Born Free, has attracted criticism after climbing onto an elephant while expressing concerns about how they are often treated.

Clunes clung onto the elephant’s ears and walked up the trunk before riding it, during filming for his ITV show Martin Clunes: My Travels and Other Animals, which aired on Thursday.

As he got on, he apologised, adding that he “didn’t want to hurt her”. The show had seen Clunes explore the relationship between captive elephants and the people of Nepal.

The charity has since said it will be talking to Clunes “about the future”, The Mirror reported.

Clunes said in the show that he was not sure that using an elephant for tourist purposes was “a fitting occupation for the largest land animal on the planet”.

Will Travers, president of Born Free, said that the incident was “deeply unfortunate” and that Clunes’ actions reinforce “the perception that this is an acceptable activity”.

He said that the charity is “resolutely against the use of captive elephants in tourism.

“There is clear evidence that training, keeping and riding captive elephants causes distress and suffering.”

He added: “Tourist elephants are chained for extensive periods of time, develop abnormal behaviour patterns and may also suffer physical injuries.”

“Born Free is speaking with Martin about the future and will issue a full statement next week.”

Later, ITV stressed Clunes’ concerns about elephants being used to transport people, in a statement.

“Martin was immersed in the experience to allow him to show viewers an up close perspective on modern conditions and their impact on the elephants.” 

It added: “Any suggestion that the programme or Martin endorsed cruel treatment of elephants would be misrepresentative and deeply unfair.”