Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to host an evening with popular TV presenter and countryside champion Matt Baker
A popular TV presenter is set to return to Nottinghamshire, a county which holds fond memories for him.
Presenter and countryside champion, Matt Baker MBE will return to Nottingham next week for a special ‘Evening With’ event hosted by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust — and the stalwart of programmes including Countryfile, The One Show and Blue Peter is looking forward to returning to a stomping ground which helped shape his future.
Speaking ahead of the event, which will take place at Nottingham’s Albert Hall on Tuesday, June 18, Matt said: “I’m really looking forward to coming to Nottingham, a place I spent lots of happy times in my younger days visiting my girlfriend — now wife — Nicola at university.
“We would spend many weekends exploring the city’s surrounding countryside — in fact it was in Sherwood Forest where I asked her to marry me… so, Nottinghamshire was life changing for both of us.”
Matt, most recently seen on Our Dream Farm on Channel 4, will speak about his passion for nature and the countryside and recount tales from 25 years working in television on iconic shows including Blue Peter and Countryfile.
The event comes almost precisely 25 years since his debut on Blue Peter, which launched a stellar career which has seen him front a host of much loved programmes and create his own series about farming issues.
After seven years on Blue Peter, Matt had a successful stint on the popular The One Show and has also presented Countryfile since 2009 — a show which provided him with the ideal platform to share his passion for farming and raise awareness of the power and beauty of nature as a source of joy and inspiration.
His book, A Year on Our farm: How the Countryside Made Me, is now a Sunday Times best seller which, alongside his own productions for Channel 4’s Our Farm in The Dales, follows Matt’s life on his beloved family farm as he celebrates the natural year.
Speaking ahead of the visit Matt added: “Hello, Matt Baker here. I’m so looking forward to speaking at Nottingham’s Albert Hall on June 18th — and to meeting everyone and the team from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. For tickets pop over to the trust’s website, see you there.”
The trust’s business and operations coordinator Beth Maples said: “Whether you’ve followed Matt’s TV appearances since his Blue Peter Days, share his love of the countryside or admire his amazing fundraising efforts, An evening with Matt Baker will provide an entertaining canter through his career and provide an insight into his passions.”
Now a Trustee of Children in Need and an MBE for his efforts, Matt’s 12 Rickshaw Challenge rides have covered more than 5000 miles across the UK — helping to raise a staggering £43million. Away from the bright lights of TV, he is often in the company of his family, family dogs, his beloved sheep and host of wildlife in the farm’s ancient woodland.
All profits from An Evening with Matt Baker, which includes his talk plus a question and answer session will support Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s countywide conservation work.
