Countryfile

The show was first broadcast on 24 July 1988 as Country File. While farming remained a core ingredient, the programme held a much broader brief—to investigate rural issues and celebrate the beauty and diversity of the British countryside.^[1]

Anne Brown and Chris Baines fronted the programme for its first year under its original producer Mike Fitzgerald. The programme was modelled on a regional BBC magazine series called "Your Country Needs You", presented by Chris Baines, directed by Ann Brown and produced by Mike Fitzgerald.

Broadcaster John Craven started fronting the Sunday morning programme in 1989. The programme was originally 30 minutes in length.

In April 2009, Countryfile moved to an early Sunday evening slot, with Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury joining Craven as co-presenters. Tom Heap and Ellie Harrison also joined in 2009. In 2014, Helen Skelton became a presenter and in 2015, Anita Rani joined the programme.

The programme currently airs 52 weeks of the year and includes a five-day weather forecast live from the BBC's weather studio in London.

Countryfile was originally produced by BBC Birmingham, moving to BBC Bristol in 2012.

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John Craven

John Craven

John Raymond Craven is an English journalist and television presenter, best known for presenting the BBC programmes Newsround, Countryfile and Beat the Brain.

Matt Baker

Matt Baker

Matthew James Baker is a British television presenter. He co-presented the children's television show Blue Peter from 1999 until 2006, BBC One's Countryfile since 2009 and The One Show from 2011 to 2020, with Alex Jones.

Julia Bradbury

Julia Bradbury

Julia Michele Bradbury is an Irish-born English television presenter, employed by the BBC and ITV, specialising in documentaries and consumer affairs. Her passion is the outdoors and more recently following her cancer diagnosis and surgery, is dedicating her time supporting the benefits of healthy living and the virtues of nature therapy.

Tom Heap

Tom Heap

Thomas John Gillespie Heap is an English television and radio reporter and presenter best known for his contributions to the BBC One programme Countryfile, the same channel's Panorama programme, and the BBC Radio 4 programme Costing the Earth. He was previously Rural Affairs Correspondent of BBC News.

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Eleanor Harrison is an English television presenter, best known for co-presenting Countryfile since 2009.

Helen Skelton

Helen Skelton

Helen Elizabeth Skelton is an English television presenter and actress. She co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter from 2008 until 2013, and since 2014 has been a presenter on Countryfile. She also co-presented two series of the BBC One programme Holiday Hit Squad alongside Angela Rippon and Joe Crowley. She also presented the daytime series The Instant Gardener that ran for two series.

Anita Rani

Anita Rani

Anita Rani Nazran, better known as Anita Rani, is an English radio and television presenter.

BBC Birmingham

BBC Birmingham

BBC Birmingham is one of the oldest regional arms of the BBC, located in Birmingham. It was the first region outside London to start broadcasting both the corporation's radio and television transmissions, the latter from the Sutton Coldfield television transmitter.

Episodes are typically centred on two lead presenters visiting a place or region, and uncovering the stories, characters and traditions which make that area distinctive. Typical subject matter includes wildlife, conservation, farming and food production, the arts, countryside crafts, social history and leisure activities. Presenters and guests are often wearing British country clothing, episodes may include several segments with other presenters, uncovering other stories in the region. Compilation programmes occasionally air with a thematic focus, with a reduced number of original segments typically featuring one lead presenter only, and several other segments repeated from previous shows.

Journalism remains an integral part of the programme's agenda. BBC News's Rural Affairs Correspondent Tom Heap, Charlotte Smith or John Craven presents a weekly investigation into the big issues affecting the British countryside. Recent examples include the impact of animal diseases, the move towards renewable energy, environmental disasters, threats to rural services as well as changes to farming policy and practices.

Farmer Adam Henson joined the programme in 2001 following a search to find a new presenter amongst programme viewers. In 2009 he started fronting the weekly "Adam's Farm" strand which gives viewers an insight into the challenges of running a mixed farm in the Cotswolds. His father, Joe Henson, was one of the original founders of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

In 2013 the programme marked its 25th anniversary with a special edition guest-edited by The Prince of Wales. Countryfile: A Royal Appointment saw the team joining the Prince on his Gloucestershire farm where he shared his passion for the British countryside, rare breed animals, organic farming and hedge-laying. Countryfile also accompanied him on a trip to County Durham to find out what's being done to help struggling hill farmers before heading to a London comprehensive where pupils are growing and cooking their own food with remarkable results. The Silver Jubilee celebrations continued well into July when 250 viewers were invited to a traditional summer fayre held on Adam Henson's farm. The anniversary was marked by a new title sequence and re-versioned music composed by David Lowe.

October 2013 also saw the programme uniting with another BBC institution. Ireland went on to win Countryfile's One Man and His Dog, which was broadcast on 27 October.

Magazine

The BBC's Countryfile magazine was launched in 2007 and is now published by Immediate Media Co.^[2][3] The current editor is Fergus Collins.^[4]

Photographic competition

The Countryfile Photographic Competition remains a highlight of the programme's year. Viewers are invited to submit entries and the best make up a wall calendar sold in aid of Children in Need. The 2017 calendar raised over £2.2 million for the charity.^[5]

Spin-off programmes

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British country clothing

British country clothing

British country clothing or English country clothing is the traditional attire worn by men and women in rural Britain; it is the choice of clothing when taking part in outdoor sports such as equestrian pursuits, shooting or fishing and during general outdoor activity, such as walking, picnicking, or gardening. It is also worn at events such as horse races, country weddings, beer festivals and country fairs.

Cotswolds

Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale.

Duchy Home Farm

Duchy Home Farm

The Duchy Home Farm is an organic farm operated by the Duchy of Cornwall. The farm is part of the gardens of Highgrove House, the country home of King Charles III. The produce is used as ingredients in Duchy Originals products, sold in vegetable boxes, and wholesaled to supermarkets and restaurants. King Charles is credited with using "pioneering agriculture techniques" to produce this organic food.

County Durham

County Durham

County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England. The ceremonial county was created from the historic County Palatine of Durham in 1853.

Children in Need

Children in Need

BBC Children in Need is the BBC's UK charity. Since 1980, it has raised over £1.5 billion for disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. When totalising up the money, it totals £1,569,978,236 from 1980 to 2022.

Helen Skelton

Helen Skelton

Helen Elizabeth Skelton is an English television presenter and actress. She co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter from 2008 until 2013, and since 2014 has been a presenter on Countryfile. She also co-presented two series of the BBC One programme Holiday Hit Squad alongside Angela Rippon and Joe Crowley. She also presented the daytime series The Instant Gardener that ran for two series.

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Eleanor Harrison is an English television presenter, best known for co-presenting Countryfile since 2009.

Liz Bonnin

Liz Bonnin

Elizabeth Bonnin is a French science, wildlife and natural history presenter, who has worked on television in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. She presented morning show RI:SE and music show Top of the Pops in the early 2000s.

Mark Beaumont (journalist)

Mark Beaumont (journalist)

Mark Beaumont is an English music journalist.

Jodie Kidd

Jodie Kidd

Jodie Elizabeth Kidd is an English fashion model, racing driver, and television personality.

Ben Fogle

Ben Fogle

Benjamin Myer Fogle, is an English broadcaster, writer and adventurer, best known for his presenting roles with British television channels Channel 5, BBC and ITV.

Julia Bradbury

Julia Bradbury

Julia Michele Bradbury is an Irish-born English television presenter, employed by the BBC and ITV, specialising in documentaries and consumer affairs. Her passion is the outdoors and more recently following her cancer diagnosis and surgery, is dedicating her time supporting the benefits of healthy living and the virtues of nature therapy.

In November 2010, the BBC faced an employment tribunal following allegations of sexism and ageism brought against the corporation by ex-reporter, Miriam O'Reilly. O'Reilly sued the BBC due to the allegations following her dismissal from the programme in 2009, along with other female reporters, Michaela Strachan, Juliet Morris and Charlotte Smith.^[10] Former BBC One controller Jay Hunt told the tribunal the claims were "entirely and categorically untrue" as well as "profoundly distressing and utterly offensive", arguing that the only reason for O'Reilly's departure was because she was not recognisable to a peak time audience.

On 11 January 2011, the employment tribunal found in favour of O'Reilly's claims on the grounds of ageism and victimisation, but not sexism.^[11] The BBC accepted the tribunal's findings after what O'Reilly described as "an incredibly stressful 14 months."^[12]

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Employment tribunal

Employment tribunal

Employment tribunals are tribunal public bodies in England and Wales and Scotland which have statutory jurisdiction to hear many kinds of disputes between employers and employees. The most common disputes are concerned with unfair dismissal, redundancy payments and employment discrimination. The tribunals are part of the UK tribunals system, administered by the HM Courts and Tribunals Service and regulated and supervised by the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council.

Miriam O'Reilly

Miriam O'Reilly

Miriam O'Reilly is an Irish television presenter. Until 2009, she was a presenter on the BBC One rural affairs show Countryfile.

Michaela Strachan

Michaela Strachan

Michaela Evelyn Ann Strachan is an English television presenter and singer.

Juliet Morris

Juliet Morris

Juliet Morris is a British television presenter.

Jay Hunt (television executive)

Jay Hunt (television executive)

Jacqueline Leigh "Jay" Hunt is an Australian-born British television executive working as Creative Director, Worldwide Video, Europe for Apple. From early 2011 until June 2017, Hunt was the Chief Creative Officer of Channel 4. She has previously served as Director of Programmes at Channel 5, and as Controller of BBC One. She is the only person to have led all three channels. Under her leadership, Channel 4 was named Channel of the Year at the 2014 Edinburgh International Television Festival and Broadcast magazine's Channel of the Year in 2016.

Main presenters

Reporters, relief presenters and co-presenters

• Margherita Taylor

Former presenters

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John Craven

John Craven

John Raymond Craven is an English journalist and television presenter, best known for presenting the BBC programmes Newsround, Countryfile and Beat the Brain.

Adam Henson

Adam Henson

Adam John Lincoln Henson is an English farmer, author and television presenter.

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Ellie Harrison (journalist)

Eleanor Harrison is an English television presenter, best known for co-presenting Countryfile since 2009.

Helen Skelton

Helen Skelton

Helen Elizabeth Skelton is an English television presenter and actress. She co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter from 2008 until 2013, and since 2014 has been a presenter on Countryfile. She also co-presented two series of the BBC One programme Holiday Hit Squad alongside Angela Rippon and Joe Crowley. She also presented the daytime series The Instant Gardener that ran for two series.

Anita Rani

Anita Rani

Anita Rani Nazran, better known as Anita Rani, is an English radio and television presenter.

Charlotte Smith (broadcaster)

Charlotte Smith (broadcaster)

Charlotte Victoria Smith is one of two main presenters of BBC Radio 4's Farming Today.

Jules Hudson

Jules Hudson

Julian Harold Hudson is an English archaeologist, television producer and presenter, best known for presenting the BBC series Escape to the Country. He also frequently presents sections of the environmental documentary series Countryfile on BBC One.

James Wong (ethnobotanist)

James Wong (ethnobotanist)

James Alexander L. S. Wong is a British ethnobotanist, television presenter and garden designer. He is best known for presenting the award-winning series Grow Your Own Drugs and the BBC and PBS series Secrets of Your Food, as well as being a panelist on the Radio 4 series Gardeners' Question Time.

Margherita Taylor

Margherita Taylor

Margherita Taylor is an English TV and radio presenter. She is a freelancer with Global Group and currently presents on stations Smooth Radio and Classic FM.

Clare Balding

Clare Balding

Clare Victoria Balding is an English broadcast journalist and author. She currently presents for BBC Sport, Channel 4 and BT Sport and formerly presented the religious programme Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2. Balding was appointed as the 30th president of the Rugby Football League, serving a two-year term until December 2022.

Julia Bradbury

Julia Bradbury

Julia Michele Bradbury is an Irish-born English television presenter, employed by the BBC and ITV, specialising in documentaries and consumer affairs. Her passion is the outdoors and more recently following her cancer diagnosis and surgery, is dedicating her time supporting the benefits of healthy living and the virtues of nature therapy.

Chris Baines

Chris Baines

Chris Baines is an English naturalist, one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists. He is a horticulturalist, landscape architect, naturalist, television presenter and author.

Countryfile started airing on BBC Knowledge New Zealand in early 2016.