Amanda Owen, the star of Channel 5's hit show Our Yorkshire Farm, has launched a scathing attack on 'fake' farming programmes, accusing them of misrepresenting rural life for entertainment.
The Yorkshire Shepherdess, who rose to fame documenting her life raising nine children on Ravenseat Farm, claims many agricultural reality shows are 'misleading' and 'exploitative'.
'It's not real farming' says Owen
In a candid interview, the 48-year-old mother of nine didn't hold back: 'There's a lot of fake farming out there. People think what they're seeing is real, but it's not. It's entertainment dressed up as agriculture.'
Owen, who recently split from her husband Clive after 21 years of marriage, suggested some programmes create unnecessary drama at the expense of authentic representation.
Viewers being 'misled'
'The danger is people watch these shows and think that's what farming is really like,' Owen explained. 'Real farming isn't about manufactured arguments or constant crises. It's hard, often mundane work that doesn't always make exciting television.'
The shepherdess, who has written several books about her experiences, believes the pressure to create drama leads to distorted portrayals of country life.
Our Yorkshire Farm's authentic approach
Owen's own show, which ran for five series before being axed in 2022, was praised for its honest depiction of farm life. 'We never staged anything,' she said. 'What you saw was our real life - the good, the bad and the muddy.'
The TV personality, who continues to farm at Ravenseat, warned viewers to be sceptical of overly dramatic farming programmes: 'If it looks too chaotic to be true, it probably is.'
