Viewers of the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm will recall the conservationist Hannah Bourne-Taylor, whose insightful contribution at Diddly Squat Farm made a significant impact. Her life beyond television is just as intriguing.
At 39 years old, Hannah is a steadfast environmental campaigner and author who was invited to Jeremy Clarkson’s estate near Chipping Norton to lend her expertise on local wildlife conservation. Her calm guidance on protecting farmland birds and fostering biodiversity earned appreciation from the programme’s audience.
Long before her television appearance, Hannah had already made a name for herself in conservation through her writing and advocacy. She resides in North Oxfordshire’s countryside, near Diddly Squat Farm, where her home acts as a refuge for native birds and deeply inspires her environmental work.
READ MORE: Solar Eclipse Viewing Times in Gloucestershire Revealed with Our Postcode Tool
READ MORE: Top Snooker Stars Return to Cheltenham for Fourth Consecutive British Open at the Centaur
Hannah’s childhood involved frequent moves, a consequence of her parents’ careers-as a nurse and an ecologist-resulting in 19 different homes, as she shared with The Observer. However, her adult connection to the countryside has profoundly influenced her path, a theme central to her bestselling memoir, Fledgling, which explores grief, belonging, and nature’s healing powers.
Besides authoring and her Clarkson’s Farm role, Hannah actively campaigns for the environment. She has championed key initiatives such as advocating for compulsory ‘swift bricks’ in UK new housing developments to help threatened urban birds. These purpose-built hollow bricks provide essential nesting spaces for swifts.
On Clarkson’s Farm, she demonstrated how simple architectural adjustments to farm buildings and new constructions can protect vulnerable species. Her campaigning has been spirited; notably, she once led a demonstration in central London while covered in full-body paint, culminating in a speech to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Hannah is married to Robin Bourne-Taylor, a former British international rower who represented Great Britain at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Robin also rowed for Oxford University in the iconic Boat Race, serving as President of the Oxford University Boat Club.
Following his athletic career, Robin served as an officer in the British Army before moving into the business world. The couple spent several years living in Ghana due to Robin’s military and professional commitments. It was during this time that Hannah began caring for rescued wild birds, including an orphaned finch which famously nested in her hair.
They returned to the UK in 2021 and have been based there since, continuing their commitment to both family and environmental causes.