Latest news with #AdamHenson
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Countryfile's Adam Henson opens up on 'very challenging' and 'horrible' struggle
Countryfile presenter Adam Henson, who has been fronting the BBC show since 2001, has opened up about a 'very challenging' year for the farming and tourism sectors Countryfile's Adam Henson has described 2024 as a "very challenging" year for the tourism and farming industries, primarily due to the extreme weather conditions. The past year recorded the sixth wettest spring in history, followed by an underwhelming summer that only saw a brief heatwave in August. In fact, the 2023-24 season witnessed the highest number of named storms since the naming system began a decade ago. The persistent rain carried on into September and autumn, wreaking havoc on the harvest, according to Adam. He said: "Yeah, it's been very challenging for, well, tourist enterprises, outdoor tourist enterprises and farms right across the UK, just because it's been horrible. "We've certainly got some fields with quite a lot of crops in them that we haven't actually harvested and we never will." In a conversation with Minerva magazine, Adam mentioned that nowadays, over 60 per cent of farmers take on a second job as a safeguard against poor seasons. "Duncan, my business partner, over the last 30 years, continued developing the farm park, and then to grow and expand on the types of diversification we've got," he elaborated. At 59-year-old, Adam reflected on the wisdom he gained from his father Joe Henson, who hosted a TV programme called In The Country. He remembers his dad emphasising that adaptability is crucial for enduring tough times. Adam shared how witnessing his father's career flourish through television work and the popularity of the Farm Park taught him the importance of having diverse sources of income at the farm. Adam took a hands-on approach to the family venture in his teens. "I love the Farm Park – the camping and glamping element too as well as the farming. We have a beautiful spot here and I love to share that." But he warns that farming comes with its shares of highs and lows. "To be a farmer, I think you have to be incredibly committed. I grew up in Wiltshire and lots of my friends are farmers and they never knew whether they're going to have a good year," he said. Adam himself faced a dire situation when the Foot and Mouth crisis threatened his family farm's survival. Speaking to The Countrywoman's Guide, Adam described that period: "For us, Foot and Mouth was a really hard time. "We were tenants of the farm and we were heavily invested in Cotswold Farm Park, as we'd borrowed a lot of money, on top of our heavy overdraft, to push forward the business forward." The outbreak struck soon after he and his business associate Duncan had taken out loans to grow their enterprise. With over 2,000 cases recorded nationwide and upwards of six million sheep and cattle culled to prevent the contagion, the UK was reeling. According to Adam, the epidemic left his business hanging by a thread. "It was horrible, and we were in trouble," he admitted. "The farm closed, the bank was closing in on us, as was our landlord. "We sat around the kitchen table with our wives – all our assets were tied up in the farm, if we lost the business, we lost our houses and our livelihoods."
Wales Online
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Countryfile's Adam Henson admits 'I've had difficult times' as he opens up on heartbreaking loss
Countryfile's Adam Henson admits 'I've had difficult times' as he opens up on heartbreaking loss EXCLUSIVE: Adam Henson has become a firm favourite as a presenter on Countryfile. Countryfile star Adam Henson admitted he has had some "difficult times" as he opened up on family heartbreak. Away from the camera, Adam manages a farm in the Cotswolds, which his father, Joe, established in 1971. During that time, Adam has had to face some tough decisions and has suffered some major losses. Despite having a strong support network of friends and family, Adam recognises the importance of bringing attention to mental health issues among farmers. Speaking exclusively to Reach PLC, Adam admitted: "My characteristics are that I am an upbeat person, and I have got an incredibly supportive family, wife and children and people around me." Adam Henson opened up about difficult times on the farm (Image: BBC ) Eurovision 2025 hosts Rylan Clark and Scott Mills forced to address major complaints READ MORE: In his business life, he explained: "And within the business, I have got a business partner who I was at Agricultural College with, and he is one of my closest friends, and what we do is surround ourselves with people that are excellent within their own role in the business. Article continues below "Whether that is a manager or a farm manager, we work really closely with the team, and we are all very honest and open with one another." Turning his attention to some challenging and emotional times, Adam continued: "I have had some very difficult times in my life, both in business and personally. My wife was very ill a few years ago, my parents dying, and I lost a nephew. Adam and his wife, Charlie (Image: (Image: Getty) ) "We have gone through foot and mouth challenges, Covid, and we have had some tough times, but I've never had poor mental health because I've had that fantastic support system around me." Adam often keeps her social media followers updated about the highs and lows on his farm in Gloucestershire. During one of his most recent posts, he shared some emotional news. In a video post, Adam can be heard exclaiming, "We've just had another new arrival on the farm. One of our Gloucester cows has given birth." Adam has faced challenging times on the farm (Image: BBC ) The camera then sweeps across to present the cow and calf duo as Adam admiringly remarks, "There she is. That's Holly and her beautiful little calf." He rounds off his update by lauding the mother cow's fantastic efforts: "What a clever girl". Article continues below "Just beautiful," one viewer said in the comment section as another simply wrote, "Lovely." "Sweet baby," someone else commented about the new arrival. Countryfile airs on Sunday at 7pm on BBC One.
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Countryfile's Adam Henson says 'oh no' as farm blunder causes chaos on show
BBC Countryfile's Adam Henson says 'oh no' as farm blunder causes chaos on show BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson had a bee blunder hit his farm on Sunday's episode Countryfile caused quite the buzz on Sunday evening after Adam Henson suffered an unfortunate bee blunder at his farm (Image: BBC ) Countryfile's Sunday broadcast created quite a stir when Adam Henson experienced a mishap involving bees at his farm. In the recent episode, 59-year-old Adam introduced bees to his farm as a measure against crop failure and to enhance pollination. On this week's show, Adam joined forces with a local beekeeper named Martin to inspect the ten hives already established on his property. Adam confessed: "I swell up like a balloon if I get stung by a bee so I'm keeping my distance while he checks his hives!" Adam later announced plans to install additional beehives and assisted the beekeeper in moving ten temporary transport hives from his vehicle, donning protective gear for the task. Adam Henson suffered an unfortunate bee blunder at his farm on Sunday's episode of Countryfile (Image: BBC ) However, during the transfer, an unexpected error occurred when one of the transport hive lids came undone, causing Adam to become visibly distressed as bees began to swarm around the truck and nearby area, reports Gloucestershire Live. Article continues below The incident led to an abrupt pause in filming, with Adam exclaiming: "Oh no!" as he retreated from the truck. He clarified that the lid had come loose during unloading, resulting in some bees getting free. Given his mild allergy to bee stings, Adam decided it was prudent to keep his distance, asking the beekeeper: "So Martin, with those few that have escaped... shall I stay out the way for a minute?" Martin agreed that it would be safer for Adam to do so. Speaking directly to the audience, Adam revealed: "I've retreated as I don't want to get stung, he's now suited up moving them... they'll [the bees] settle down and make this their home, what a beautiful home to have!" Countryfile caused quite the buzz on Sunday evening after Adam Henson suffered an unfortunate bee blunder at his farm (Image: BBC ) Fortunately, Martin managed to set up the hives successfully, and Adam noted that the stray bees would naturally return to their new abode. It comes as Adam and his business associate Duncan Andrews took over Bemborough Farm in Gloucestershire from Adam's father, Joe. Together, they manage the farm, cultivating crops such as wheat, spring barley, and oilseed rape, alongside rearing commercial ewes. Article continues below They also operate the Cotswold Farm Park from the site. The tourist attraction welcomes over 70,000 people each year. It comes as Adam shared the delightful news of a new arrival at his Cotswold Farm Park. The 59-year-old presenter, who has been a familiar face on our screens for over two decades, took to Instagram to announce that one of his Gloucester cows had given birth recently. Countryfile continues on Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Countryfile sparks wave of complaints as farming special leaves BBC viewers furious and ‘unwell' - but who's in the wrong?
Countryfile sparked a wave of complaints after a farming special left some BBC viewers furious and 'unwell'. Sunday's instalment of the show featured presenters Adam Henson, Sammi Kinghorn and Matt Baker. The special episode showcased their different techniques during lambing season and even captured a sheep giving birth. 'With the health of the animals being so important and then you've got unpredictable outcomes and of course the physical and mental strain of looking after so many animals,' Adam said. 'Lambing can be a tough time for sheep farmers.' The programme delved into how Matt was dealing with a change in sheep breed on his farm, while Sammi and her father demonstrated how they get ewes to foster lambs. However, the instalment was hit with backlash from some viewers who expressed their issues with what was shown on the episode. One posted on X: 'What the lambing #CountryFile, 4/5/2025 isn't looking at is how male lambs not chosen as tups for breeding are treated, & how the male presenters on the programme would like being treated that way (ouch!!).' 'I don't understand how farmers can put all this care and attention into the wellbeing of their flocks only to then send them for halal/kosher slaughter at a later date...' According to the Express, someone else said: 'I don't feel well #countryfile.' Some found the episode uninteresting and wrote: 'Time to ditch Countryfile. It's so dull.' Another commented: 'The poor mother, her lamb is huge… #Countryfile.' While others spoke positively of the episode and one penned: 'What's happened to #Countryfile tonight? 'It looks like they've suddenly remembered it used to be a programme for farmers and those involved in the countryside. More of this please.' Last year, Countryfile was bombarded with complaints just minutes into a show as fans raged 'I can't believe it!' over a baffling report. However, the instalment was hit with backlash from some viewers who expressed their issues with what was shown on the episode The BBC show usually gives insight into farming and rural life, but some took issue with the episode being dominated by oysters. The instalment was presented by Joe Crowley and Adam Henson and Joe headed to Scotland to discover more about the famous Stranraer Oyster Festival. He followed fishermen as they caught the oysters in the sea to provide for the 10,000 that are used for the festival for punters to enjoy. Still, many were confused that the show was mostly dominated by seafood and fishing. Countryfile airs weekly on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Countryfile's Adam Henson flooded with support from fans after farm announcement
BBC Countryfile's Adam Henson flooded with support from fans after farm announcement Adam Henson has been a familiar face on our TV screens since he joined the Countryfile presenting team back in 2001, and has been a part of the farming world for even longer Countryfile's Adam Henson has shared the delightful news of a new arrival at his Cotswold Farm Park. The 59-year-old presenter, who has been a familiar face on our screens for over two decades, took to Instagram to announce that one of his Gloucester cows had given birth. In the video, he said: "We've just had another new arrival on the farm. One of our Gloucester cows has given birth." He then turned the camera to show off the newborn calf, adding: "There she is. That's Holly and her beautiful little calf." His followers were delighted with the news, with one commenting: "Just beautiful." Earlier this month, Adam paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Charlie Henson, following her recovery from pancreatic cancer. After being diagnosed in 2021, Charlie recalled how her doctor had warned her about the low survival rate and severity of her condition, reports the Express. Article continues below Adam revealed that one of the cows on his farm gave birth (Image: (Image: Instagram/Adam Henson) ) Death in Paradise fans beg for character return as show delivers huge announcement READ MORE: She was given the all-clear after surgery but continues to have scans every six months. In a touching gesture, Adam and Charlie donated a pair of trainers to a charity installation by Pancreatic Cancer UK, displayed near London's iconic Tower Bridge. Adam shared an emotional post on the social media platform, Instagram, about his experience with cancer, stating that: "My wife had pancreatic cancer and thankfully recovered. We were happy to support this impactful initiative by each supplying a pair of trainers." Recently, a poignant Shoes of Hope exhibition, hosted by Pancreatic Cancer UK, was unveiled on April 15 in conjunction with the lead-up to London's Marathon to raise awareness about the tough realities of pancreatic cancer. Adam's wife Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021 (Image: (Image: Getty) ) Situated in Potters Fields Park, the poignant exhibit displayed 797 pairs of trainers donated by various celebrities, pancreatic cancer survivors, families of those who had lost loved ones, and supporters. The shoes symbolise the lives lost monthly to the disease in the United Kingdom. A number of television and film stars contributed shoes, including pancreatic cancer survivor and actress Olivia Williams. Article continues below Some who donated shoes had also sadly lost loved ones to the illness, including actors Richard Armitage, Alison Steadman, television chef Ainsley Harriott, and radio presenter Zoe Ball, who had all lost their mothers.
