Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has shared a deeply personal family story, revealing he fulfilled his late father's dying wish by placing a lock of wool in his hand before burial. The 60-year-old BBC star, who runs Cotswold Farm Park in Gloucestershire, spoke about the poignant moment on the Cannon Hall Farm podcast.
Henson's father, Joe, who founded the farm park in 1971, died in 2015 after a battle with cancer. Adam described him as his "rock, mentor and hero." He recalled his father's request: "Shepherds, when they die, should have a lock of wool placed in their hand so when they get to the Pearly Gates they're allowed in, because they haven't been to church, they've been tending their flock."
Adam explained he took wool from his favourite ewe's shoulder and placed it in his father's hand inside a woollen coffin. "It was something he requested and it was a lovely thing to do, very moving of course," he said. The farm, which Adam took over in 1999, now attracts around 100,000 visitors annually and is home to 50 rare breeds of sheep.
In previous interviews, Henson admitted he feels he is turning into his father, which he considers a positive. He has a daughter, Ella, 21, and a son, Alfie, 17, and advises them to "learn from the good and the bad things." Adam has presented Countryfile since 2001 and returns to screens this evening on BBC One.
