During the latest episode of BBC’s Countryfile on Sunday, 12 April, presenter John Craven delivered a touching surprise that left a former guest truly floored.
Joined by co-host Charlotte Smith, John visited the National Forest in the Midlands to commemorate the remarkable milestone of planting its 10-millionth tree. The presenters spoke with woodland caretakers and locals, showcasing how the forest has profoundly transformed both the landscape and lives around it.
In one memorable segment, John reunited with Susan Bell, the former head of the National Forest, who originally appeared on the program back in 1992. Susan had once shared an ambitious vision: planting 30 million trees in the area. This unexpected revisit caught her completely off guard.
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Susan expressed delight at seeing John again and reflected on the incredible changes over the past 30 years. “This site was always spectacular and lovely, and it’s wonderful to see it in full bloom,” she said. “When we first started, people would say, ‘If only this would happen in our lifetime.’ And here it is.”
John then presented a nostalgic surprise—a clip from their original 1992 interview. Watching the footage on his tablet, the visibly moved Susan exclaimed, “Ohh, how wonderful to see.”
The archive showed a youthful John planting the first oak tree and sharing his vision for a “quite a sizable woodland.” Susan expressed her hope to cover an area equal to 200 square miles, roughly the size of the Isle of Wight, with millions of trees.
With a smile, she admitted, “30 million was perhaps a bit of an overestimate,” explaining the challenges they faced convincing politicians and cautious landowners to support the project.
Reflecting on the forest’s transformation, Susan beamed with pride: “I’m loving it. Just coming here today, I got lost, and I thought ‘that’s exactly what we wanted.’”
Countryfile continues to air Sundays on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.