Matt Baker, the familiar face from BBC’s Countryfile, has recently made a return to television as he presents the European Gymnastics Championships currently taking place in Zagreb, Croatia. At 48 years old, Baker is hosting the BBC Two coverage, which viewers can watch from 5pm on Friday, 21 August. The broadcast will showcase day three of the men’s competition, with a particular focus on the apparatus finals.
The previous championships, held two years ago in Italy, saw impressive performances including gold medals for Great Britain’s Sol Scott in the vault and Uzair Chowdhury in the parallel bars. Italy’s Tommaso Brugnami also made headlines with victories in both the floor and rings events. Fans are now eagerly anticipating who will take home the top honours this year. Coverage continues on Saturday, 22 August, starting at 3pm with further individual apparatus finals.
Beyond his gymnastics commentary, Baker’s personal story has touched many viewers. He famously moved his family back to his childhood farm in the Durham Dales to protect its future after his mother, Janice, suffered a serious farming injury. His documentary series, “Matt Baker: Our Farm in the Dales,” captured the family’s journey in transitioning from traditional, larger sheep breeds to more manageable heritage varieties.
When not filming or lending a hand at the family farm in Durham, Matt lives on his private farm in the Chiltern Hills, Hertfordshire, with his wife Nicola Mooney and their two children. Reflecting on balancing work and family life during a conversation with Lorraine Kelly, he said, “We are such do-ers, really. We are so supportive of what each other wants to do. But yeah, we’ve just sort of found our way through because we sort of focus on what we’re passionate about.”
The past year brought challenges as well, most poignantly with the loss of the family’s beloved Border Collie, Bob. Speaking candidly to Radio Times, Matt recalled, “That took a lot of getting over. He’d been with me for the major moments in my life, so it was tough when he wasn’t.”
Looking ahead, Matt is set to front a new BBC Two daytime series, “Matt Baker: Life With Dogs,” which delves into the important roles dogs play in people’s lives. From working farm dogs to therapy and assistance dogs that support individuals with disabilities, the programme explores the profound bond between humans and canines.
Matt told the Mirror, “Dogs have been a lifelong passion of mine, and I’m so excited to be making this series about the bond between humans and dogs. As well as acquiring my professional dog training qualifications, I’m going to be meeting a whole range of incredible canines that enrich our lives, from cancer detection to conversation. It’s the ultimate show to celebrate our lives with dogs.”
A BBC source added, “Matt is a much-loved presenter, and viewers will be thrilled to welcome him back with this new series. As a life-long dog-lover, he is the perfect frontman for this show, which examines the many varied ways in which our four-legged friends are more than just pets. The programmes will take a deep dive into the many different ways in which dogs are indispensable to humans.”
Viewers interested in the European Gymnastics Championships can stream the event live on BBC iPlayer.