Countryfile’s Adam Henson admits ‘struggling to make ends meet’ on his huge Cotswolds farm away from BBC show
COUNTRYFILE star Adam Henson has opened up about the very real struggles he is facing on his family farm in the Cotswolds.
Adam, 58, lives on the 1,600-acre Bemborough Farm with his wife Charlie and their two children Alfie and Ella. He took over the running of the farm from his dad Joe in 1998, working hard to grow crops such as wheat, spring barley and oilseed rape, alongside managing its commercial ewes.
The BBC presenter also runs the Cotswolds Farm Park, a popular visitor attraction offering glamping, lamb feeding, and animal rides, which was founded by Joe in 1971.
However, keeping the farm afloat has proven difficult for Adam, who opened up about his struggles on his mental health podcast, Keeping on Track, last year.
Adam revealed it was having that second income stream from the Cotswolds Farm Park, which was actually keeping Bemborough Farm going, and even then it has been a struggle to make ends meet.
He has also been very vocal about the fact that most farms are now having to diversify just to survive.
Speaking on the podcast last year, Adam explained: “With political change, particularly with leaving Europe, our subsidy scheme is being reduced quite significantly and the commodities that we produce, whether that’s lamb, beef, pork, wheat, you name it, are trading on a global market or a national market and unless you can find niches, or a second job, or some other form of diversification, straight agriculture is very difficult.”
Adam then went on to talk about his personal struggles. “We’ve run 1600-acre farm here, we’re on a tenancy so we have a large rent, but our arable unit and livestock are quite big, well-run units, but we’ve struggled to make ends meet and thankfully we have lots of other income streams,” he said.
He continued: “But for many that’s difficult and you’ve got a family to support, you’ve sometimes got the history, the little family farm has been in [the family] for generations and, you know, grandad had it, dad had it, now you’ve got it.”
Adam empathised with other farmers who are struggling, acknowledging that it can be a “pretty horrible” place to be in and oftentimes because they’re working such long hours to protect their livelihoods, they risk neglecting their mental and physical health.
Even with his second stream of income from tourism at the farm, it appears the situation may not have improved as Adam has continued to talk about the difficulties facing the agricultural industry.
Speaking at the Great Yorkshire Show last week, Adam said: “Agriculture is the backbone of our country, it is a huge employer and a network of businesses that need to be looked after.”
Adam also opened up about another major blow he suffered on the farm.
The Countryfile host revealed the “sad passing” of his horse Victoria in a bittersweet Instagram post.
“After the sad passing of Victoria last week, I’m delighted to share the news that my Suffolk Punch mare, Lexy, has given birth to a beautiful colt.”
Fans rushed to support Adam as he grieved Victoria, but also celebrated the new birth.
Taking to the comments, one fan wrote: “How gorgeous is he? Sorry for your loss of Victoria.”
“Wow, he’s a little smasher. He’s got some lovely strong legs and a beautiful face,” praised another.
While a third said: “So sorry for your loss, but how wonderful is life to then to give you this gift.”
Countryfile presenting team
Agricultural programme Countryfile launched on the BBC in 1988. In its long history, the show's seen several presenters come and go. Let's take a look at the current line-up.
- John Craven: The longest-serving presenter, having debuted in 1989, John is also known for his work on Newsround from 1972–1989.
- Adam Henson: Adam, who comes from a farming family, joined the presenting team in 2001. His other media work includes BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today and BBC Two’s Lambing Live.
- Matt Baker: Having joined the line-up in 2009, Matt also presented The One Show alongside Alex Jones from 2011 to 2020. Before that, he hosted Blue Peter from 1999 to 2006.
- Tom Heap: Tom joined Countryfile in 2009 and in April 2012, he took over the investigative reporter role from John Craven. He has also presented The Climate Show on Sky News.
- Helen Skelton: Another former Blue Peter presenter, she hosted the beloved children’s programme from 2008 to 2013. Helen joined the Countryfile team in 2014 and has competed in Strictly Come Dancing.
- Anita Rani: Anita was added to Countryfile in 2015 and has presented other programmes for the Beeb including The Refugee Camp: Our Desert Home, among others.
- Sean Fletcher: Newsreader and presenter Sean joined Countryfile in 2015. He is also known for Good Morning Britain, Songs of Praise and BBC Breakfast.
Alongside working on his family farm, Adam continues to present the beloved farming show Countryfile, which continues on Sunday at 7pm on BBC One.