Matt Baker, the beloved Countryfile presenter, has shared how he now leads a “double life” after making a significant family move to his ancestral farm in the Durham countryside. Immersed in farming alongside his TV career, Baker has found a fulfilling balance between two worlds he loves.
Speaking recently with Total TV Guide, Baker reflected on his transition from a mainstream TV presenter to a dedicated rural broadcaster. Having left BBC’s The One Show in 2019 to focus on farming and countryside programmes, including Our Dream Farm, he described how farming has become integral to his identity.
“The countryside has made me who I am. I love the pace of nature and how the seasons change. It’s really important,” Baker explained. “I live a double life, actually! When I’m not on telly, I’m out in the fields. Farming is a world I’m incredibly proud of, and it’s a world I want to share through my shows.”
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Baker also highlighted the creative inspiration he draws from rural life. Despite his dyslexia, which makes reading challenging, his love for animals and the natural environment fuels his work and personal fulfillment.
Family plays a vital role in supporting Baker’s lifestyle. He credits his wife Nicola and their two children, Luke and Molly, as key factors in helping him juggle the demands of television and farm life. Reflecting on his own upbringing, Baker fondly recalled growing up on a family farm surrounded by livestock, calling it “the best thing” about his childhood.
In the current series of Our Dream Farm, viewers witness seven contestants competing for tenancy of a 600-acre National Trust farm in Eryri, North Wales. Baker described the property as “the most nature-rich farm the National Trust has in Wales,” praising the diverse skills and backgrounds of the contestants.
By embracing both his television career and farming heritage, Matt Baker continues to celebrate the rural lifestyle while bringing it to life for audiences across the UK.