Celebrity farms have become a phenomenon in recent years, with TV presenters and musicians alike moving from city life to rural lodgings in the English countryside. From Jeremy Clarkson and Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher to music mogul JB Gill, Brits are investing more time and energy into backing British farming. Many have developed reality TV shows documenting their farming journeys, helping keep the industry afloat.
The renewed interest has sparked a resurgence in farming documentaries across all channels, from the BBC and ITV to Channel 4 and Channel 5. Express has taken a deep dive into the best celebrity farms in the UK.
7. Martin Clunes
Martin Clunes, best known for his roles on Doc Martin and Men Behaving Badly, lives with his TV producer wife Philippa Braithwaite on a 130-acre farm in Beaminster, West Dorset. They originally bought an old rectory in the area but moved to the family farm in 2007. The relocation was largely inspired by their daughter Emily's passion for horses, insisting she wanted a field for a pony. The property boasts sweeping views across the coast towards Exmouth and features a field of Clydesdale and Shetland horses, as well as other cattle and sheep. Although the actor has never shared his family farm with his fanbase online, the farm hosts the Buckham Fair every year to raise money for local Dorset charities.
6. Down on the Farm
In 2012, former JLS member JB Gill swapped life on the road for rural life. The dad-of-two purchased a 13-acre smallholding farm in Kent. His family uses the land to raise their award-winning KellyBronze turkeys and free-range Tamworth pork. JB has appeared across Channel 5's seasonal farm programs, including Springtime on the Farm, Summer on the Farm and Winter on the Farm. Young viewers got their first insight into his family farm on the CBeebies show Down on the Farm, which ran for several series and introduced young audiences to farm animals, food origins, and outdoor life.
5. Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park
Jimmy Doherty first appeared on screens in 2002 alongside fellow TV chef Jamie Oliver. While the Naked Chef taught the UK recipes, Jimmy started educating Brits about his rare-breed pig farm in Suffolk. Since then, the broadcaster has expanded his farm to include more exotic animals. What started as a humble farm with free-range livestock has developed into a comprehensive zoo, now housing more than 100 species and breeds of animals. The transformation commenced when rescue charities enquired whether they could house unwanted exotic animals, including ring-tailed lemurs and raccoons. After years of rescuing endangered animals, the broadcaster has exposed the realities of these vulnerable species through documentary series, his most recent being Big Bear Rescue, set to return later this year.
4. Our Farm in the Dales
Matt Baker has never shied away from his farming roots throughout his broadcasting career, from welcoming his sheepdog Meg to viewers during his time on Blue Peter to documenting farming stories on Countryfile. The Channel 4 show came to be after his mother Janice suffered a serious accident, which greatly affected her mobility. The former Countryfile presenter decided to relocate his wife Nicola and their two children north to the Durham hills. The show sees the family revive their parents' organic sheep farm, which dates back to the 1600s, while juggling family life. The broadcaster brings a vast amount of knowledge to the series, something usually seen from experts on other celebrity farming shows. Alongside the serious work on the farm, viewers also fall in love with the charming menagerie of animals each year, with the series set to return in 2027.
