A FAMILY-RUN farm in Barnsley has been chosen as the main host for a new Channel Five television series.
Daisybeck Studios - famous for producing The Yorkshire Vet - selected Cannon Hall Farm, in Cawthorne, to front Springtime on the Farm which focuses on the hard work the farming community puts in to capitalise on its busiest time of year.
The programme will be broadcast at 8pm from Monday to Friday, starting on April 9.
It will be presented by the BBC’s Countryfile presenter and farmer Adam Henson and Spring Watch Unsprung’s Lindsey Chapman.
Other stars who will act as roving reporters are JLS star JB Gill - who himself has taken up farming - and actor Kelvin Fletcher, who played Andy Sugden on Emmerdale for 20 years, who will also be lending a hand on the farm.
Yorkshire Vet stars Peter Wright and Julian Norton will be taking part in the series, as will Gloria Hunniford and Charles Collingwood who plays Brian Aldridge, owner of Home Farm in Radio 4’s long running country drama, The Archers.
Cannon Hall Farm’s co-owner, Robert Nicholson, said: “It really is a family business and family is at the heart of what we do. My dad, Roger, took it on when he was just 16 and he’s still the first one in and the last one out.
“Being part of this show has made us feel really proud, not only to represent the farming community and our home town, but also that we’ve managed to find our way through difficult times to where we are today.”
The farm, which has been operated by the family for 60 years, was brought to the attention of the production company thanks to the Nicholson’s success with their own Facebook live broadcasts, with viewers from as far afield as America, Australia and New Zealand.
“There’s no better time than spring for us,” Robert added. “It’s our favourite time of year and it’s great that we can celebrate that with this show.”
