COUNTRYFILE

Editor’s special award

It was 24 July 1988 when Countryfile first hit our screens as a Sunday morning show, and since then it’s gone from strength to strength, moving to a primetime slot in 2009 and securing its place as a Sunday night must-watch.

It’s been a particularly incredible year for the show, though, as it marked its 30th birthday with a host of great programmes – including three special episodes filmed on the royal estates of Balmoral, Sandringham and Windsor – so our editor couldn’t think of a more deserving winner for this year’s Special Award.

John Craven and Helen Skelton accepted the trophy on behalf of the team during a break in filming while on location on the Isle of Wight. ‘This is a great honour,’ smiles John, who joined the team in 1989. ‘TV Times has always been a great friend of the programme, which makes this award very special to us.’ ‘People often ask me why

Countryfile is so popular and has attracted the viewers it has for so many years,’ adds Helen, who has been with the show since 2014. ‘I think the credit should go to the people behind the scenes who scour the country for opportunities to celebrate our glorious islands. It’s been a privilege to be a small part of a show that I grew up on. Thanks for the award. I hope people enjoy watching it as much as we enjoy making it.’