Adam Henson has spent his life on the same Cotswold land that has made him one of British television’s most familiar farming faces.
Born in 1966 and raised at Bemborough Farm near Guiting Power, Adam grew up helping his father Joe Henson, a rare-breed pioneer and television presenter, at the family’s Cotswold Farm Park. The attraction opened in 1971 and has since become one of the best-known farm parks in the country.
In 1999, Adam took on the tenancy of the 650-hectare Bemborough Farm estate with business partner Duncan Andrews. Together, they modernised the enterprise while continuing the family’s rare-breed work. Today, Cotswold Farm Park is home to more than 50 breeding flocks and herds and welcomes thousands of visitors each year.
Adam joined BBC One’s Countryfile in 2001 after being selected from more than 3,500 applicants. Since then, he has become one of the programme’s most recognisable presenters, fronting regular segments from his Cotswold fields on lambing, harvest, hedgerows, wildlife and the pressures facing modern British agriculture.
Away from television, the 60-year-old has written several books and campaigned on food education, sustainability and farming awareness.
Last week, Adam visited Cotswold Gate Care Home in Burford, Oxfordshire, where he gave a talk and later spoke about farming, retirement, tourism and Jeremy Clarkson.
The Countryfile presenter said he had been impressed by the care home, joking during his appearance that he might need to put down a deposit. He described the venue as warm, beautifully decorated and welcoming, adding that it had made him think more seriously about later life and where he might eventually live.
Adam also praised the audience, saying the smaller setting made the talk more personal. He said it allowed him to interact more directly with people in the room, rather than speaking to a much larger crowd.
The visit came after Adam appeared at the inaugural Great British Farm-Fest at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. The three-day event brought together figures from Countryfile, Clarkson’s Farm, farming YouTubers and agricultural voices from across the country.
Adam described the festival as an agricultural show with a difference. He said it mixed food, music and entertainment with serious discussions about farming, mental health and new technology. The event also included a future of farming area, featuring robots and other agricultural innovations.
Although Adam noted that Stoneleigh Park was a large site and may have been slightly too spread out, he said the atmosphere was strong and predicted the event was likely to return.
The festival also brought him into contact with Jeremy Clarkson, whose Clarkson’s Farm series is filmed nearby in Oxfordshire.
Adam said he gets on well with Clarkson, though the pair have only met a handful of times. He said Clarkson appears to have found a genuine passion for farming and praised him as a strong advocate for British agriculture.
He added that Clarkson’s Farm had brought farming to a new section of the public. While he described the show as funny and theatrical in its production, he said its impact on public interest in agriculture had been positive.
For Adam, programmes such as Countryfile and Clarkson’s Farm, along with farming YouTubers and social media creators, all help educate consumers about British farming.
Adam also revealed that he had visited Clarkson’s Cotswolds pub, The Farmer’s Dog, during the launch activity for Farm-Fest. However, he said he had never visited Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chipping Norton.
Joking about the long queues often seen at Clarkson’s farm shop, Adam suggested visitors could instead come to Cotswold Farm Park, where there would be no queue, plenty of animals and a farm shop.
He also spoke playfully about Clarkson’s Hawkstone beer, comparing its rapid rise with his own Adam Henson’s Rare Breed ale, which he produces with Butcombe Brewery. Adam said his beer has been available for around five years and sells in pubs, supermarkets and online, but joked that Hawkstone had grown much faster.
As a lifelong Cotswolds resident, Adam named Upper and Lower Slaughter, Snowshill, Broadway, Burford and Chipping Campden among his favourite places to visit. He also praised the Yorkshire Dales, where his son works in Leeds and where he has friends in farming.
Asked about tourism in the Cotswolds, Adam said he believed it was broadly positive. While some villages have complained about traffic, rubbish and overcrowding, he said tourism helps support pubs, hotels, restaurants and the local economy.
He recalled that when his father opened Cotswold Farm Park in 1971, some local people objected because they feared tourists would block the roads. More than five decades later, he said tourism had become an important part of the area’s economy.
Adam said he did not believe the Cotswolds had lost its charm, as long as development continues to protect the area’s character and famous stone-built villages.
Looking ahead, Adam said he remains focused on Cotswold Farm Park, rare breeds and regenerative farming. He revealed that the farm’s Suffolk Punch mare had recently given birth to a filly foal, calling it a special moment.
He also plans to continue his Countryfile work, expand further into YouTube and social media, and attend more agricultural events, including the Royal Three Counties Show at Malvern.
For Adam Henson, the future remains rooted in the same mission that has shaped his life: protecting rare breeds, supporting British farming and helping the public understand the countryside.
