Straight from horse’s mouth: 30 farm-fresh facts about Countryfile
16 Adam isn’t the only presenter with a farming background. Helen Skelton is a dairy farmer’s daughter from Cumbria and Matt grew up on the family farm in the Durham Dales. 17 As part of the programme’s 30th year, a young presenter talent search attracted more than 1500 entries, and the two successful applicants will join the regulars at the BBC Countryfile Live event at Blenheim Palace next month. 18 In March 2013 the Prince of Wales was the guest editor for a special edition to mark Countryfile’s 25th anniversary. He showed Julia how he enjoyed hedge laying. He held the wooden stakes for her as she hammered them in. He said: “I’m trying to remember what my fingers felt like.” Julia retorted: “You’ll remember in a minute.” 19 Countryfile’s fans include TV motormouth Jeremy Clarkson, Dame Judi Dench and rock star Iggy Pop. Danny Dyer and ex-footballer Joey Barton also regularly tune in. 20 Ellie became hooked on nature when she was a child – after falling into a bush covered in cuckoo spit. 21 Adam’s grandfather Leslie was a musichall star who helped to form the wartime organisation Ensa, who provided entertainment to troops overseas. Adam’s farmer father, Joe, appeared regularly on TV, including with Johnny Morris on Animal Magic, and his actor uncle Nicky has made countless appearances on stage and on TV, including Fawlty Towers and EastEnders. But Adam’s greatest screen credit was for Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. He supplied two longhorn cattle for filming and ended up getting a walk-on part towing a cart carrying William Wallace’s father’s body. 22 Sean Fletcher’s parents moved to a smallholding in Essex when he was 12. “My mum was probably the first black farmer in that part of the world,” he said. 23 Sean is also a fluent Welsh speaker, having pledged to learn the language to impress his wife and in-laws-to-be. 24 Anita Rani fell in love with the British countryside thanks to her nature-loving dad. “We lived in Bradford and visited the moors every Sunday,” she says. 25 The Countryfile theme tune was written by composer David Lowe, who’s also responsible for The One Show, Grand Designs and Panorama themes. 26 Charlotte once posed nude while reporting on a risque calendar – her modesty only protected by a Countryfile logo. 27 One of the few times the whole team get together is for the Christmas party – with John Craven playing Santa. ■■The new issue of Radio Times is on sale now.