Countryfile's Matt Baker opens up about future on BBC show

Countryfile's Matt Baker opens up about future on BBC show
-Credit: (Image: BBC Studios/Pete Dadds)


Matt Baker has spoken about his future on Countryfile - and it's news every fan will want to hear.

The presenter told the Mirror he has "no intention" of quitting as he prepares to celebrate 15 years with the BBC show. He said: "You know, I grew up in the countryside.

"It's a massive part of who I am. I'm very fortunate to have grown up on a sheep farm in the in the Durham dales. And if there's no doubt about it, it made me who I am. So, I'm definitely not leaving that side."

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Explaining his love for the show, he added "It's a programme that people love and enjoy, and you know, I have no reason to leave the show by any means." The presenter did state he doesn't front Countryfile as much as he did in the past, but that's due to the direction of the show.

"I'm not on it as much as I used to be these days, but that's just because of the way they make it," he continued. "They make it a different way. BBC studios make it a different way to how they used to. Back in the day, there was me, Julia, John and Adam. And now there's, there's more presenters, so I spend less time on show. That's not [a bad thing]."

Presenters (back row left to right) Helen Skelton, Joe Crowley, Anita Rani, Matt Baker, Ellie Harrison,  Adam Henson, (front row left to right) Tom Heap, Charlotte Smith and John Craven in front of wooden sculptures of themselves on the opening day of BBC Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace near Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Presenters (back row left to right) Helen Skelton, Joe Crowley, Anita Rani, Matt Baker, Ellie Harrison, Adam Henson, (front row left to right) Tom Heap, Charlotte Smith and John Craven in front of wooden sculptures of themselves on the opening day of BBC Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace near Woodstock, Oxfordshire -Credit:PA

Change hasn't been well received by all viewers, but most fans have welcomed it with open arms. Matt revealed the show's move from Sunday morning had people "up in arms".

"Understandably, it had been part of [family] Sunday mornings. So there was pushback and people were like, 'oh, you can't move it', Then suddenly it hit the big time. And I say the big time. We were getting 9 million viewers on a Sunday night - huge. But I was always of the belief that if I love this and this is my life, why would other people like it too?

"I was confused at the worry of whether or not it would work... And, you know, it's still popular, and people love it on a Sunday night. It's part of people's Sunday evenings. I'm very proud of the amount of people that watch it and engage with it and actually what it does for the rural community.

"It's very important that the rural community is represented on prime time television. And I've always felt that from the very beginning. So in that respect, you know, for me, it was a no brainer."

All in all, Matt's proud of the show's continuing popularity. "I was really proud when we shifted it and it became [hugely popular]," he said.

"There was no rural television on an evening before Countryfile started 15 years ago, and there's been a wave of it since. But you know, when you're part of something like that, in those formative years, in that slot, I guess I'm a big part of it. I feel, like it's big part of what I've done in my career."

Matt spoke ahead of The Countryfile Ramble for BBC Children In Need, marking the ramble's 10th anniversary. Events have so far raised £15.4 million for the charity.

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