Countryfile moves to primetime

BBC One’s rural affairs series Countryfile is to move to prime-time with a new slot in the Sunday evening schedule. The move to prime-time will also see several new presenters join the series. Contains the BBC Press Release.

BBC One’s flagship rural affairs show Countryfile is moving to a new teatime slot on Sunday evenings with a dynamic new team of presenters. Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker will head the new line-up, with John Craven, who has presented the show for the past 20 years, fronting a weekly in-depth look at the big stories making news in the British countryside.

“I am delighted that Countryfile is moving to its new Sunday evening home, giving an even wider audience the chance to enjoy this wonderful programme. Countryfile has been providing quality coverage of issues affecting the countryside to BBC One viewers for 20 years and I am very excited to see what stories the new team will bring to our screens.” – Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One

Julia Bradbury is an experienced journalist and has a real affinity with countryside issues. She is already well known to viewers as presenter of BBC’s Watchdog, Wainwright’s Walks and Kill It, Cook It, Eat It. Former Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker was brought up on an organic sheep farm in County Durham, so has a grassroots understanding of rural issues. He currently presents Radio 4’s Open Country. John Craven joined Countryfile in 1989 after 17 years on John Craven’s Newsround. His new role will capitalise on his journalistic credentials and 20 years’ experience of reporting on rural issues.

“I’m thrilled that Countryfile is going from strength to strength. Over the years I’ve seen it become a great and much-loved institution and now I’m looking forward to working with Matt, Julia and the new team. My new role will give me a fantastic opportunity to probe in-depth issues that really matter to people who love and care about our countryside.” – John Craven

Julia, Matt and John will be supported by a dynamic team of reporters: Adam Henson, James Wong, Jules Hudson and Katie Knapman. The hour-long programme will continue to come from a different location in the British countryside each week. It will also include the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead. In Countryfile’s old Sunday morning slot, Ben Fogle and Ellie Harrison will be presenting a new rural affairs series – Country Tracks will weave archive footage from Countryfile with newly-filmed sequences to create a different journey each week, bringing the past and present together in a celebration of the British countryside.

Countryfile is produced by BBC Productions, Birmingham. The Executive Editor is Andrew Thorman and the Series Producer is Teresa Bogan.