Matt Baker has revealed that he has ADHD and dyslexia, opening up about the diagnoses in a candid interview with Radio Times. The Countryfile presenter, who previously fronted The One Show, said he was known as "a sort of hyperactive child" in his younger years and that pets were his companions on adventures.
Baker recently lost his beloved border collie, Bob, and reflected on the close connections he has had to animals throughout his life.
'A constant presence'
Speaking to Radio Times, Baker said: "I have ADHD and dyslexia, but when I was younger I was known as a sort of hyperactive child and, for me, pets were my companions on adventures, running around outside and doing stuff. They were a constant presence."
Asked whether he would have considered them therapy dogs before the term existed, he added: "Yes, as it turns out, and continue to do so."
Dyslexia as a 'superpower'
The presenter has previously discussed his neurodivergence, calling it a "superpower". In a 2022 interview with The Yorkshire Post, he described dyslexia as "the best thing ever", saying: "My dyslexia has inadvertently gifted me with an interview style people seem to find relaxing.
"If somebody asked me if I could live my life again without dyslexia, I would say no, because you recognise things and you do things differently to the way everybody else does, and that gets you to the front of the queue...You find ways around challenges and it gives you a different perspective on life."
Facing learning challenges on screen
Baker has also spoken to Woman's Weekly about how dyslexia can make reading autocues and unexpected script changes difficult. He explained: "The fundamentals of learning are the hardest things for us, and we will never be able to do them. That's the lesson you learn, to just keep trying and never stop. And then when you apply that to the rest of life, you're not put off by disappointment. Failure weirdly doesn't register with you."
He went on: "It's funny, because when you ask what's the biggest mistake I've made, I actually don't notice them. They're just part of the learning. My dad's dyslexic, my son's dyslexic. And it's just not an issue for us."
Countryfile airs Sundays at 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
