Television presenter Matt Baker has opened up about his family farm in County Durham, where he says he feels happiest. His new series, Matt Baker: Our Barn in the Dales, starts tonight on More4 at 9pm, chronicling the conversion of a section of the family farm into a new home.
A 100-acre organic sheep farm in the Durham Dales
The property is a 100-acre organic sheep farm nestled in the Durham Hills, which forms part of the broader Durham Dales in County Durham. Matt and his wife Nicola have embarked on the challenge of converting a section of the farm into a new home, with the series exploring everything from building and conversion to interior design.
Matt relocated permanently to the farm after his mother Janice's devastating accident in 2021, and has since implemented numerous modifications to simplify his family's daily life.
'A real close-knit community'
In a 2015 piece for the Countryfile website, Matt wrote about his affection for the region: "You never ever know how good something like this is until you leave it. Now this area is like a magnet for me. I come up here with my wife and kids and to stay with Mum and Dad whenever I can. I feel at my happiest here; it's where I'm meant to be."
He continued: "The family farm is a few miles west of Durham, at the gateway to the Durham Dales. The characters around here – the farmers and the other neighbours – are a real close-knit community. Everybody helps each other. Just as well – because it's not easy living up here."
Private family ownership
Since the farm remains in private family ownership, it isn't accessible to the general public. Matt has previously stated he'd never contemplated placing his family under the media spotlight before the programme.
During the production of his earlier series, Our Farm in the Dales, the presenter was determined to ensure his parents felt comfortable with what would be broadcast. He also revealed how the concept wasn't originally intended as a television series, telling The Express: "We didn't do it as a TV programme idea, it sort of happened. It was an interesting story of how it actually evolved because I was sort of having meetings with different TV channels with our production company."
His new show's synopsis reads: "Matt Baker and his family transform an old barn, granary and stable beside Matt's parents' farmhouse into a new home of their own. In the first episode, Matt and Nicola begin clearing out decades of memories and belongings, and build a new path after Mike has a fall."
