Matt Baker's 'worst period' and why he'd make perfect I'm A Celeb campmate

04 August 2023 , 11:29

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Matt Baker left Durham Dales behind to explore the rural parts of America in his new Channel 4 series

Matt Baker has been one of the most recognisable British faces on television for decades now - from presenting Blue Peter to starring in Doctor Who and feeling at home on Countryfile.

His passion for animals, farming and living in the countryside has seen him travel the world in search of rural communities and open his farm gates to camera crews in Durham Dales.

"I filed three passports when I was at Blue Peter. I've had a lot of amazing experiences throughout my career and there's not many things I haven't done really," Matt told the Mirror, ahead of his new Channel 4 show - Matt Baker's Travels in the Country: USA.

But the BBC presenter is yet to head into the Australian jungle, despite being rumoured in the line-up numerous times, and he revealed very little about the possibility of swapping sheep for snakes this year.

Matt didn't give much away about the possibility of appearing on I'm A Celeb, but he'd definitely be up for it (David Hartley/REX/Shutterstock)

"We've got woods on our farm and I spend a lot of time out there - it's kind of the Durham Dales version of the jungle. I'm not shy of being out in the trees," Matt said on the topic of I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here. So far, Boris Johnson, Josie Gibson, Susanna Reid and Olivia Attwood are among the celebs rumoured to compete for the 2023 jungle crown.

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While Matt would most definitely adapt well to camping under the stars, the former BBC One host has numerous other programmes keeping him busy this year. "I've got my new series starting this Saturday. I'm also doing some more travel shows with mum and dad - they love it. And you'll still see me popping up on Countryfile," he said.

The 45-year-old set off on an adventure across the United States to film his latest show, and said it was an "absolute pleasure" to immerse himself in the lives of rural workers. "This series has been an absolute dream for me. I grew up on a sheep farm in the Durham Dales and whenever I go on holiday, I always find myself in the rural parts, chatting to local farmers and those who work the land," he said. "So I took the heartbeat of Our Farm in the Dales and I went with that same intrigue to rural farms in America.

The presenter and sheep farmer said it was a 'dream come true' to meet like-minded people working the land (Big Circus)

"I met the kind of people you don't normally see on television - the quiet ones working the land and doing the best for the environment. As soon as they realised I was very much into their world, they were so open and honest with me. I never feel happier than when I'm with like-minded folk in the rural community." The series, which runs for six weeks, sees Matt learn how to lasso, hike in the desert and dive down to coral reefs.

"There was one guy called Dusty Crum in the Everglades who catches pythons by hand after they're released from the exotic capital in Miami," Matt recalled. "The show was totally unscripted. It wasn't gimmicky, it was real. They showed me a lot of skills to take back to our farm. The Miccosukee Tribe and the Colorado River Indian Tribe taught me how to irrigate the land. When you meet farmers that grow crops in the desert, it's unbelievable. When the Durham Dales turns into a desert, I'll be very well prepared."

He has brought back all of the wisdom and new skills to use on his family farm with wife Nicola (Mark Taylor / Channel 4)

While the exotic fruits grown in Florida and the last remaining cheesemaker in Monterey were fascinating to Matt, he was excited to return home to regular routine farm life and his close family, wife Nicola Mooney and their two kids. "On a typical day on the farm, we get up nice and early to let the dogs out and check over the sheep. Then we have seasonal jobs through the day, like lambing or harvesting hay, and do the afternoon feed run," the dad-of-two explained.

The countryside is where Matt feels most at peace as he vows to never return to city life or head back to London. "When I first got the job on Blue Peter, I moved to London for a few months before I realised that I couldn't cope with it at all, so I very quickly moved out," he said, before joking: "I've only been six months in my life without a flock of sheep, so that was the worst period of my life really."

Not being a huge fan of cities that come with not only their hustle and bustle but pollution, Matt hopes the next destination on his future travel is somewhere far cleaner than the capital. "I've never been to New Zealand I'd love to experience the Galapagos Islands and explore there," he added.

Matt Baker's Travel in the Country: USA starts Saturday, August 5, at 8.15pm on Channel 4.

Nia Dalton