'Get ready to die': Sir David Attenborough's TV producer in shocking road-rage incident

A TV producer behind many of David Attenborough's acclaimed wildlife documentaries told a family, "I want you to die" as he tried to place them under citizen's arrest in a road rage incident. 

Fergus Beeley was caught on camera delivering the astonishing tirade on Saturday after they pulled over following a minor crash on the M27 near Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Simon Gale, 33, who was in the other car with his wife Louise, their son, and his mother-in-law, said Mr Beeley flew into a "raving state" after both cars were forced to pull over at the side of the motorway.

Mr Beeley was heard calling the family "w------" and "s----" and telling them to "get back in the car before you die".

Video footage of the incident, shot by Mr Gale's mother-in-law, shows Mr Beeley repeatedly screaming at the family that they are under citizen's arrest - after reportedly telling them he was an off-duty policeman.

As Mr Gale gets out the car, a woman says: "You said you want us dead."

"I do want you dead," Mr Beeley replies. "Put your hands on the car and get ready to die, this is a citizen's arrest."

He then begins pointing at the woman and the boy, saying: "You're under a citizen's arrest, you're under a citizen's arrest, and I tell you what, you are, too."

Upset and angry, the woman calls back: "That's my 11-year-old-son, what's he done?"

Mr Gale also claimed Mr Beeley grabbed hold of him around the throat and "raised his fist in a threatening manner".

Mr Gale, of Salisbury, Wilts, said Mr Beeley also attempted to push his mother-in-law towards oncoming traffic on the motorway.

He said: "It was quite a scary thing.

"He flew into an absolute raving state. When he got out the car he demanded, 'Do you know who I am?', and when I said I didn't he grabbed me and pushed me against the car."

Mr Gale added that it wasn't until after police had shown up to mediate the incident, and insurance details had been exchanged, that the family saw Mr Beeley's name and realised who he was.

Mr Gale said the family were driving on the motorway when a car from the inside lane attempted to pull into the middle lane - and ended up colliding with their car.

He said: "This car pulled across into our lane and hit our car - our whole car moved and we almost got knocked into the outside lane.

"We pulled over to the side of the road and my wife got out of the car to exchange insurance details with this woman - I didn't really think anything of it at the time.

"Then Fergus Beeley pulled up behind us in a different car and started screaming and shouting at us."

Mr Gale said: "My son was so scared by it that he actually ended up sleeping in our room last night. He's very shaken.

"Luckily none of us are harmed in any way - but we're still quite shaken by it. We're definitely going to be a bit more cautious from now on."

Mr Beeley's LinkedIn profile shows that he was a series producer on the BBC's Natural History Unit as well as a 'National Geographic Explorer', producing and presenting the Emmy Award-winning 'Owls - Silent Hunters' and and another programme entitled 'Talons of Terror'.

However, the BBC said on Monday that he was no longer employed and last worked for its Natural History Unit 10 years ago.

Neighbours of the producer on Monday described his behaviour as "out of character".

Residents of the picturesque village where Mr Beeley lives with his wife and two children said he was "friendly" but worked abroad a lot.

Mr Beeley was not seen at the large detached house in the grounds of stately home the Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire.

A woman who answered the door refused to comment.

Hanging baskets decorated the front of the house and a grey Skoda estate car was parked in the drive beside an old fashioned red Ford Fiesta.

Sue Bird, 73, lives nearby on the estate and said: "He's a very nice chap, and so are his wife and two children.

"He's away most of the time, but he wouldn't go to people's houses and chat, but if you met him out and about he will say hello."

Mrs Bird thought the family had lived in the grounds of the Duke if Beaufort's home for about seven years.

The village, Badminton, South Glos, is famous for its horse trials and the Duke, David Somerset, keeps three packs of hounds in kennels close to Mr Beeley's home.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, has watched the footage and was shocked.

He said: "it's very out of character. He's usually very friendly."

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: "We were called to a non-injury road traffic collision on the M27 between junctions five and seven at 11.30am on July 22.

"The incident involved a Mazda 3, a Peugeot 107 and a Skoda Octavia. When officers attended all parties had moved to the Sainsbury's car park in Hedge End.

"A 32-year-old man from Southampton and a 54-year-old from Gloucestershire each made an allegation of common assault but neither party wanted to pursue the complaint.

"As a result, advice was given to both parties and told that two assaults will be recorded and filed."