Countryfile presenter Matt Baker has admitted he was moved to tears while filming an episode of his new podcast Matt Baker's Petcast, where he invites guests into his caravan to discuss their pets.
Susan Calman's story brought tears
Baker confessed that comic Susan Calman's account of having her cats put down during the pandemic and being barred from the vet's room resonated deeply. "Susan Calman had us all in tears when she talked about having her cats put down during the pandemic and not being allowed into the vet's room - it was really emotional," he told Woman's Weekly magazine.
He added that the mood quickly lifted when Calman launched into West End-style singing, introducing each of her cats with a theme tune. "It was hilarious," he said.
Guests and personal loss
Other guests on the podcast include Clare Balding, Bill Bailey, and David and Frankie Seaman. "It's such a lovely thing because people love to talk about their pets and you see a completely different side to them," Baker noted.
Baker himself recently suffered heartbreak after the death of his beloved border collie, Bob. In an Instagram post in May, he wrote: "It's with a very heavy heart that I'm letting you know our wonderful Bob is no longer with us." He added: "Bob was a brilliant dog he was there for me with his gentle soul as the ultimate companion through some of the greatest chapters of my life... It's broken my heart but I feel hugely grateful to have had him in our lives."
Despite losing Bob at the end of last year, Baker said he found it too distressing to announce it publicly at the time. "I didn't feel I could talk about it publicly because I found it really difficult," he explained. "It was hard enough coping with the loss without then having to deal with all of the wonderful support from other people."
New companion Ted
The presenter has since welcomed another border collie, named Ted, into his household. Followers reacted warmly on social media, with one writing, "Ted Baker, he's going to be a class act," and another saying, "He will heal and bring much happiness."
