Adam Henson, the longtime presenter of BBC One’s Countryfile and owner of Cotswold Farm Park, has discussed the delicate balance he must maintain when presenting farming content on the show. With nearly 25 years on the programme, Henson understands the complexities of countryside life but admits he often has to simplify farming topics to connect with a diverse audience.
The 60-year-old farmer manages Bemborough Farm in Guiting Power, which, alongside his business partner Duncan Andrews, operates the popular Cotswold Farm Park—a destination attracting around 180,000 visitors annually. Despite his deep roots in farming, Henson recognizes that the programme targets a broad viewership and cannot focus solely on the technical realities of agriculture.
Speaking on the FarmED podcast in December, Henson said, “Countryfile is a magazine show featuring a range of countryside topics—not exclusively a farming programme. Farmers sometimes feel we don’t cover the challenges, technology, and finances of farming robustly enough, and that we don’t champion British farming as much as they’d like.”
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He acknowledged the tension between satisfying farming viewers and appealing to a wider public. “The BBC isn’t making a programme just to champion British farming; they’re creating a show that draws viewers. Whatever helps increase viewing figures will shape the content.”
Henson cited shows like The Great British Bake Off and its spin-offs as examples of engaging formats that attract large audiences. Despite the compromises, Countryfile remains the most-watched factual programme on television.
Illustrating the challenge of communicating farming processes, Henson recounted how during filming, he must carefully explain procedures like moving cattle and testing for bovine TB in simple terms for viewers unfamiliar with farm life. He explained, “When I talk about moving steers through the handling system and TB testing, I have to break it down so someone who’s never seen a sheep can understand. That sometimes frustrates farmers who feel the content is overly simplified.”
He stressed the importance of catering to all viewers, from rural communities to city residents unfamiliar with agriculture. “The farmer might switch off because of the simplification, but we need to reach children in cities who have never encountered farm animals,” he said.
Henson also reflected on the need for impartiality as a BBC presenter. Speaking on The Tweedl Pod earlier this year, he remarked, “As a presenter, you have to be balanced and not campaign for any particular viewpoint. Our audience includes farmers, countryside people, but also urban viewers living in flats across the country.”
This evening, January 18, Adam Henson will continue presenting Countryfile at 6 pm on BBC One, featuring stories on conservation efforts at Devon’s Exe Estuary and visits to new nature reserves, underscoring the programme’s diverse and inclusive approach to countryside stories.