Former Blue Peter, Countryfile and The One Show presenter Matt Baker has made his return to Channel 4 with a second series of Our Dream Farm.
He appeared on This Morning last week to discuss the show. But when the conversation turned to the new inheritance tax rules farmers are due to face from April 2026, Matt donned his BBC cap.
However, changes to inheritance tax laws isn’t the only turbulence Matt is facing. Lambing season brought highs and serious lows to the aspiring farmers on his reality TV show last week.
Matt Baker and Our Dream Farm contestants face lambing losses
It’s been a difficult lambing season. Our Dream Farm’s temporary residents Lloyd and Abbie impressed in the first round of the competition, and got the keys to the farmhouse as a result. But last week’s activities presented them with a setback.
One night, when a ewe was struggling to give birth, they resorted to calling Matt for help.
“On a check in the early hours, they find a ewe in distress,” Matt later recounted. “It’s just coming up to two in the morning and I’ve had a call from Abbie and Lloyd, they’re having a bit of trouble in the lamb shed so I’m just heading over to see what’s going on.”
Lloyd explained that, while the lambs were ready for birth, the mother wasn’t. The ewe was in distress, and Abbie called the vet for advice on what to do. Sadly, despite veterinary intervention, the lambs died during birth. On the plus side, the ewe survived the ordeal.
“You give the utmost care to all your stock but when it’s somebody else’s you try and strive even more,” Lloyd said to camera, per Lancs Live. “It’s a bit of a glum time when you have a few poorly sheep.”
Matt conceded that lambing season “always brings some losses”, but added: “There is a chance to salvage hope from situations like this.”
Where is series 2 of Our Dream Farm set?
In this series of Matt Baker’s farming reality TV show, seven hopefuls are vying for their chance to win a 600-acre farm in the Eryri National Park, in North Wales. Eyryi used to be known as Snowdonia.
The farm sits on a lake and comes with a farmhouse, plus holiday lets and gorgeous views of Yr Wyddfa.
Last year, in series one of Our Dream Farm, a different set of contestants competed to become tenants of a 340-acre farm in the Wallington Estate, in Northumberland.
Adam and Jenny Grieve came out on top, and won a 10-year tenancy on the National Trust farm. However, the start of their tenancy happened to coincide with one of the UK’s wettest years since records began.
Series two of Our Dream Farm began on March 15. Catch the rest on Saturdays, on Channel 4, at 7:15pm.
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