Matt Baker's Startling Confession After Countryfile Filming Accident
Television presenter Matt Baker has made a worrying confession to his wife, Nicola Mooney, following a terrifying accident that occurred while filming for the BBC's Countryfile programme. The incident, which resulted in a fractured back, unfolded during a segment about rehabilitating racehorses.
The Dramatic Horse Incident
During an appearance on the Second Nature podcast at Kew Gardens in 2025, Baker was asked to share an unexpected story from his career. He revealed the dramatic episode happened while he was mounted on a horse during filming. The animal became frightened by a hedgecutter and reacted violently.
"There was a massive hedge on our left-hand side and an electric fence on our right-hand side," Baker recalled. "A farmer on the opposite side of the hedge had finished his lunch and started up the hedgecutter attached to his tractor."
The horse Baker was riding "slightly freaked" at the noise, skipped to the right, burned its leg on the electric fence, reared up, and then went "right back over the top of me."
The Aftermath and Hospital Admission
Initially, Baker believed he was unharmed. "I jumped up, and I was kinda full of adrenaline," he said. "I was like, 'Yeah, we're fine, all good, carry on.'"
However, the reality became apparent during his drive home. "I said to my wife, 'I don't think I'm gonna be able to get out the car'," Baker confessed. His wife, who was a physiotherapist at the time, responded: "Look, I'll meet you at hospital."
Medical examination revealed the serious nature of the injury: Baker had fractured his back. "So that was a surprise," he remarked about the diagnosis.
Ongoing Battle with Back Pain
In a separate development, Baker has opened up about his ongoing struggle with chronic back pain on social media. Taking to Instagram, he revealed: "For the last few years, I've been dealing with chronic back pain, and I've honestly felt like a massive part of me has been missing."
The presenter, who has a gymnastics background, explained he's creating a rustic gym in his stable to help with rehabilitation. "I'm hoping to revisit what has been a pretty active past of mine," he said, while acknowledging he would "take it gently" given his understanding of physical training.
Baker's Television Career
Matt Baker first became a recognisable television face during the 1990s as a presenter on Blue Peter. He has since embraced his countryside heritage through programmes including:
- Channel 4's Our Dream Farm
- Our Farm in the Dales
- Countryfile alongside John Craven and Anita Rani
Baker remains a cherished regular on Countryfile, where viewers can next see him on BBC One on Sunday, March 1, from 6pm to 7pm.
