0:00:27 > 0:00:29There's nowhere I'm more at home
0:00:29 > 0:00:32than in our stunning British countryside.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34From coastlines
0:00:34 > 0:00:36to castles,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and from boats to bridges,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I've pretty much seen it all.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43I've explored almost every corner of rural Britain
0:00:43 > 0:00:48and discovered fascinating stories about its people and history.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53It's all been a wonderful experience for me over the years
0:00:53 > 0:00:58and today I am celebrating my 25th anniversary on Countryfile.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02It was in July, 1989 that I made my very first
0:01:02 > 0:01:04appearance on the programme.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Since then, the show has undergone many changes,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10and so has the countryside.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12To mark the occasion, and for one week only,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15I've been asked to step into the editor's shoes,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19so it is up to me what's going to be in the programme.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I've sent Ellie on a wildlife mission.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Oh, wow!
0:01:25 > 0:01:28She's looking right at me.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I've been rumbled!
0:01:31 > 0:01:35I've asked Tom to look into the latest state of play with organics.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37They are a fantastic colour.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40They really shine out, don't they?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Matt is driving along a country road I know
0:01:43 > 0:01:45that helped change motoring history.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48If there was a list of ways to experience the British countryside,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51this would be at the top.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56And I'll be celebrating on Adam's farm, with my old friend.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Now then, John. Here's to...
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Whoa!..another 25 years!
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Well, I'm not sure about THAT!
0:02:14 > 0:02:15Hello.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20'I've come to the Countryfile base at BBC Bristol
0:02:20 > 0:02:23'for my first task as guest editor.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26'I've got to decide, with the help of the production team,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28'what to put into the programme.'
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Guys, a nice day to be outside.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32- Morning, everybody. - Good morning, John.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35This is the first time I've met all of you around a conference table.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Normally it's in the middle of a field somewhere.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40So, it's the first time I've been in an editor's chair
0:02:40 > 0:02:42since my Newsround days!
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Brilliant, how does it feel, John?
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- I don't know, I'll tell you later! - We've come up with some ideas.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50But I suppose an awful lot of you weren't even born
0:02:50 > 0:02:53when I started doing Countryfile, a quarter of a century ago.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55- Afraid so! - LAUGHTER
0:02:57 > 0:03:00These are just some of the names that you will see
0:03:00 > 0:03:02on the credits at the end of the programme.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05We've got researchers, directors, runners,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08the production management team and, of course, producers.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10What I'd like to do on this programme is
0:03:10 > 0:03:14look back at some of the big issues we've dealt with over those years,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16and some of the fun times, as well.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Anybody remember anything in particular?
0:03:18 > 0:03:21I remember seeing a piece on the Isle of Man when you were
0:03:21 > 0:03:24driving around in a motorcycle, and you looked like you were loving it.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Yes! On a BSA Bantam.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29When I was a boy, I used to go there, to the TT races,
0:03:29 > 0:03:30on my little Bantam,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and the programme managed to find one in a museum,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and I had a lovely time, yes.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I remember the very first time, watching Countryfile,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and being impassioned by a story I saw there
0:03:40 > 0:03:42about dolphins washing up on the beach in Cornwall.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47Obviously, wildlife has always been a big interest of mine
0:03:47 > 0:03:51from my Newsround days, obviously, and then through into Countryfile.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I think it would nice to take a look at the state
0:03:55 > 0:03:58especially of endangered species in this country,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02how are they faring now compared to 25 years ago?
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Definitely.
0:04:04 > 0:04:05Here's Tom.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Hi, Tom. How are you?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09'He's in today to record his commentary
0:04:09 > 0:04:12'for another edition of Countryfile.'
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- And I've got a job for you later on. - Have you?- Yes.- What's that?
0:04:15 > 0:04:16- I'll tell you later.- OK.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20'I'll be briefing Ellie and Matt, as well.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23'And, of course, I mustn't forget Adam.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Adam hasn't been part of the Countryfile family
0:04:30 > 0:04:32for quite as long as I have, but it is hard to imagine
0:04:32 > 0:04:35the programme now without his farm in the Cotswolds.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39If we just come back with Archie...
0:04:39 > 0:04:41I've popped in to see him on one of his filming days.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45This is Archie, my new Highland bull that I'm very proud of.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I bought him from the Queen...
0:04:48 > 0:04:50It looks like being a typical day down on Adam's farm,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53the only one in the country with a resident film crew.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- Hello, Adam.- Hi, John, how are you? Good to see you!
0:04:57 > 0:05:00- And this is the famous Archie! - It is, indeed.- How's he settling in?
0:05:00 > 0:05:03He's all right, still a little bit lively.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05We're going to put him in with the cows soon.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07You must have seen hundreds of animals
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- on thousands of farms, John? - I've lost count, Adam.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13In the early days, it was much more of a farming programme.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Half an hour on Sunday mornings.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18And a much harder programme which looked at a lot of farming issues.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20But what really struck a chord with me
0:05:20 > 0:05:23when I first started on Countryfile, looking back,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26was you telling the farmers about the story of foot and mouth.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29It was a devastating time for the livestock industry.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35'The foot and mouth crisis of 2001 affected everyone, not just farmers.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37'Millions of animals were slaughtered
0:05:37 > 0:05:40'and a huge sadness fell across the countryside.'
0:05:41 > 0:05:45'I'll never forget what I saw, heard, and smelt over those weeks.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:52But some good eventually did come out of bad.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Ten years after the all-clear,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I visited the disused airfield in North Cumbria
0:05:57 > 0:06:00where half a million animals were buried.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Now, it's an impressive nature reserve
0:06:03 > 0:06:05and helping me plant a commemorative tree
0:06:05 > 0:06:08was retired brigadier Alex Burtwhistle -
0:06:08 > 0:06:13the man who'd been given the task of burying all those carcasses.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17This is a much smaller hole than the ones I'm accustomed to digging here.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21But I am delighted, all jocularity aside,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23I'm delighted that something positive
0:06:23 > 0:06:26has come out of what was a very harrowing time for all concerned.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I'm very pleased to be here with John
0:06:28 > 0:06:31to plant this sturdy English oak.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36I hope I haven't been an unlucky mascot for farming,
0:06:36 > 0:06:37because when I joined the show
0:06:37 > 0:06:40suddenly agriculture seemed to have a lot of diseases.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Now, then, John, I know you like to get involved,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- so why don't you take Archie for a walk?- Do you think so?- Yeah.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46I'm not sure I should.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Remember what happened last time I handled one of your big beasts?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- I remember, knocked you over, didn't he?- Come on, come on.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55- He's behaving well. - Look at that, a natural!- Well done.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02'They say, "Never work with children or animals".
0:07:02 > 0:07:06'But that pretty much sums up my career in broadcasting!'
0:07:06 > 0:07:09COW BREAKS WIND Oh!
0:07:09 > 0:07:10Oh! Haha!
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'Countryfile has given me the perfect opportunity
0:07:13 > 0:07:15'to indulge my passion for wildlife.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- Hold up, there's one right up close. - Checking us out.- Looking good.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22'I've been able to report on many remarkable stories.'
0:07:22 > 0:07:25We've just spotted a humpback whale,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27one of the great creatures of the sea.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31I just caught a glimpse of it as it went down, there it is, over there.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36'Red kites were close to extinction in the UK when I first filmed them.'
0:07:36 > 0:07:39This is the airport at Madrid, the Spanish capital.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43I'm just boarding a flight to London escorting an unusual passenger -
0:07:43 > 0:07:47this rare and beautiful bird of prey, a red kite.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51It's flying to London the easy way to make its home in the wild
0:07:51 > 0:07:53in the British countryside.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58- Would you like to let the first four go now?- Yeah, all right, OK!
0:07:58 > 0:08:00'I've been thrilled to see them go full circle,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02'thriving again in the wild.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04'There are now thousands of them.'
0:08:06 > 0:08:09'And I've got up close to lots of other animals also,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11'like this little dormouse.'
0:08:11 > 0:08:13There he goes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Very agile, aren't they?
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Very much so!
0:08:20 > 0:08:22'Working on Countryfile has given me
0:08:22 > 0:08:26'privileged access to places most people can't get to.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30'But anybody can visit the Isle of Mull and see a wildlife treat -
0:08:30 > 0:08:35'the nest of one of our largest birds of prey, the white tailed sea eagle.'
0:08:35 > 0:08:38This must be the only place in the world where you can
0:08:38 > 0:08:41come and publicly see such a rare bird.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44It's the only place with a live nest that you can see the chicks
0:08:44 > 0:08:46with your own eyes.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49We have got our CCTV pictures, as well, you can get a close-up view.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51But, yeah, it's absolutely fantastic
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and lots of people have a very good time coming to see them.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02As editor for this week, what I'd like to do now is to take
0:09:02 > 0:09:05a look at the current state of British wildlife.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Are things better now than they were 25 years ago?
0:09:07 > 0:09:12What have been the success stories and which species are in trouble?
0:09:12 > 0:09:16I've asked a fellow wildlife lover, Ellie, to take a look.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20This mission is right up my street
0:09:20 > 0:09:23because I also have a passion for the wildlife of Britain.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Since John has been presenting Countryfile, there have
0:09:28 > 0:09:32undoubtedly been some huge losses in British wildlife.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34But it's not all bad news -
0:09:34 > 0:09:37there's also been some remarkable recoveries.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Conservation scientist Mark Eaton gives me an overview.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Mark, what is the general state of nature in Britain today?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Our state of nature report last year found that more species
0:09:52 > 0:09:53are decreasing than increasing.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56We found about 60% of the species have declined.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00The other thing we found was a lot of species showing really quite
0:10:00 > 0:10:04large changes. So, either plummeting down, or big increases.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07But one of the good pieces of news is that we have got
0:10:07 > 0:10:09better at conservation, I think.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12We've seen wonderful recoveries. We've seen the red kite coming back.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15We've seen large blue butterflies, which were completely extinct,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17now flourishing in the West Country.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19So, things like that, excellent news.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23What we're less good at is animals and plants in the wider countryside
0:10:23 > 0:10:26which you can't help by creating a nature reserve.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31- How important is farmland in this? - Extremely important.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34About 75% of the UK is farmland.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37How we manage that, how we extract that food,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41has a huge impact on the wildlife trying to live there.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45We need to help farmers and those who manage land to help wildlife.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Many once-common farmland birds
0:10:53 > 0:10:56are on the brink of extinction in Britain.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00The turtle dove is now our fastest declining bird -
0:11:00 > 0:11:05in the last 25 years, it's suffered a 91% population dive.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10A lack of seed is thought to be the major cause.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Turtle dove expert Simon Tonkin explains the problem.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Why this big decline in turtle dove numbers?
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Essentially, one of the major concerns is finding enough
0:11:23 > 0:11:25food during the breeding season.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27What about this crop here, we've got wheat growing.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Is this no good for them?
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Wheat's going to be available as a seed source
0:11:31 > 0:11:34at the back end of the season, so August time.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37That's actually when turtle doves think about migrating
0:11:37 > 0:11:39back to their wintering grounds.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41And they're a bird that just eats seeds.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44And lots of these crops are grown with very little
0:11:44 > 0:11:46room for wildlife, to be fair.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50But farmers are doing their bit to help.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- So, Simon, this is part of the solution.- It is.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57The farmers here are putting aside at least 10% of their land
0:11:57 > 0:12:00to specific wildlife measures.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04So things like this clover, birdsfoot trefoils and other things,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06those will set seeds at the right time of the year
0:12:06 > 0:12:09for when turtle doves not only arrive back here,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11but also when they've got young, as well.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18Boosting turtle dove numbers is not only about increasing their food.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21It's also about monitoring the behaviour
0:12:21 > 0:12:23of the few birds we have left.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Jenny, how're you doing? Good to meet you.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30'I'm off on a mission with scientist Jenny Dunn, who's been tagging
0:12:30 > 0:12:34'and radio tracking these extremely rare birds.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37'But will we track down this elusive creature?'
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- So there's a receiver on the roof to pick up the sound.- That's right.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- What number is the bird? - This one is 951.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- DEVICE BLEEPS - Oh, is that it?
0:12:50 > 0:12:51- Yeah, that's it.- That is. Yeah!
0:12:53 > 0:12:56We're incredibly lucky to get a signal.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Turtle doves are so scarce
0:12:57 > 0:13:01it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Been monitoring this bird for a couple of weeks now,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06so we know it is on a nest nearby.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- Sounds like we're getting close. - Yes, we're not far off now.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'Jenny has seen turtle doves in this spot before,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16'but will they be here today?'
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Can you see the chicks?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21There's two, two little heads.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Oh, wow!
0:13:23 > 0:13:26She's looking right at me.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- Yes, she's spotted you. - I've been rumbled!
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Oh, it's great.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35What a fantastic sight.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36That's amazing.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43That is so fabulous. They are increasingly rare.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47I just hope that's not a sight that I'll never see again.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49That was brilliant. Love it.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Whilst our turtle doves are fighting for survival,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58a one-time struggling species is now flourishing.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Otters - once incredibly rare,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06restricted to all but a few far-flung pockets of the country.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11Today they are in every county having made a miraculous comeback.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15'Not all our wildlife is on the brink.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19'I'm heading to an unlikely spot for nature -
0:14:19 > 0:14:22'a suburban house in a small Essex town.'
0:14:22 > 0:14:23Hi, Sue, how are you doing?
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Sue Manning has had a passion for otters for 13 years.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33I'm here to find out about the animals at the bottom of her garden.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37What was it that first got you into otters?
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Mainly because I started volunteering with the Essex Wildlife Trust.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44When you see your first otters you get quite excited
0:14:44 > 0:14:47because it takes a long time to find one!
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And then you went on to start looking at them
0:14:50 > 0:14:51in quite a serious way.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56Well, I knew they were here so, as soon as I put the CCTV camera up,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58within days I'd had my first shot.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- Can we have a look at some of the shots?- Yes.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Have a look at these.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07This was the first shot I have, and you can just see...
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- There it is.- Oh, yeah!
0:15:09 > 0:15:13- And that was enough to get you hooked?- I'm afraid so.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14And now...
0:15:14 > 0:15:15- I see two.- Oh, yeah.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- So that was quite exciting.- Playful. Wonderful.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24This one is quite funny. It's just...
0:15:24 > 0:15:25There we go.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Ooh! That's an energetic splash. That's such speed.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31- Yeah.- Wow!
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Have you got any footage with young?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Yeah, that would have been...
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- Mum, and there's babies.- Oh, yeah.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42And there's another baby.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47And what's interesting now is that I saw Mum plus two
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and then, this year, Mum plus three.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- Got to be really happy with that. - Yeah.- That's such wonderful footage.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58- It's such a joy to see, right here, at the bottom of your garden.- Yeah.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Otters throughout the UK are thriving,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04and Sue's otters are living proof of that.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07It just goes to show that conservation
0:16:07 > 0:16:10and habitat improvement can save wildlife.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12If we continue these efforts,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14other threatened animals,
0:16:14 > 0:16:19like our turtle doves, should be doing as well in another 25 years.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28- There we are, John. Look what we've got here.- The latest arrival?
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Yes, he was born last night, a little donkey foal.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- Is this proud Mum?- It is indeed.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36I remember when you were a new arrival on Countryfile,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38when I met you here for the first time on this farm.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40That was great, when you came and told me
0:16:40 > 0:16:43I had won the competition to have a go at presenting on the show.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46That was just amazing for me, and wonderful to meet you,
0:16:46 > 0:16:47and incredible news.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Thousands of people have sent in videotapes of themselves
0:16:51 > 0:16:55and from those we selected around 20 for screen testing,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and then we showed those tapes to a sample of Countryfile viewers,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01and this is who they liked best - Adam Henson.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- Congratulations, Adam.- Thank you. - Welcome to the programme.- Thanks.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- You're obviously from a rural background.- Indeed.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I was very fortunate in being brought up in the Cotswolds,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and born and bred on a farm.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14And now I run this with my old college friend
0:17:14 > 0:17:17as part of the whole business.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- We're surrounded by Highland cattle. Are they friendly?- Oh, yes.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23They meet the public all the time and this one's a bit of a favourite.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25They're no trouble at all.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- And look what happened to you! - I know. 13 years on, I'm still here.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Now, how did YOU get started on Countryfile?
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Well, I'd just left Newsround, I'd been doing that for a long time,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38and I was looking for something different and the BBC said,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42"We've got this new rural affairs programme called Countryfile.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44"Do you fancy giving that a go?"
0:17:44 > 0:17:46So I said, "Why not?" Something totally different.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49In your time on the programme the programme has changed a lot,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51but the countryside has changed a great deal, too.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53It certainly has, and not just farming.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The whole sort of social issues of the countryside
0:17:56 > 0:17:58have gone much higher up the national agenda,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01and people are now very concerned about isolation,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03about lack of rural bus services, lack of shops and pubs,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06lack of affordable housing for young people -
0:18:06 > 0:18:09who's going to do the farming, work the countryside
0:18:09 > 0:18:11if they can't afford to live there?
0:18:11 > 0:18:14All those sort of things, very important these days.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- One thing you covered a lot was organics.- That's right.
0:18:16 > 0:18:21Organics has been a huge movement, hasn't it, over the last 25 years?
0:18:21 > 0:18:24In fact, the very first film I made for Countryfile
0:18:24 > 0:18:26was about organics, and does it have a future?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Who would have guessed just 12 months ago that the methods
0:18:30 > 0:18:33used by British farmers would have been questioned
0:18:33 > 0:18:36in quite the way they have been by the customers?
0:18:36 > 0:18:40The green revolution has reached the fields of Britain.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43So how is the organic industry faring 25 years on?
0:18:43 > 0:18:45I've asked Tom to investigate.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Organic food -
0:18:49 > 0:18:52for its supporters, it's better for the environment
0:18:52 > 0:18:56and better for us, and that's a message its devotees
0:18:56 > 0:18:59have been pushing for well over a quarter of a century.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02More and more, the consumers are wanting food
0:19:02 > 0:19:04that's grown in this kind of soil,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09that hasn't seen a drop of chemical of any kind for many, many years.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Since John first reported on the subject in 1989,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17one of the biggest bones of contention has been the claim
0:19:17 > 0:19:21organic food is healthier than conventional produce.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Now, in the largest study of its kind,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28scientists claim to be able to show a definite difference
0:19:28 > 0:19:31that may prove that organics are better for you.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36The study was done by an international team
0:19:36 > 0:19:40funded by European money and organic supporters, the Sheepdrove Trust.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Its findings are based on the results of hundreds of experiments
0:19:44 > 0:19:48carried out by scientists all over the world, as well as here in the UK.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51This is Nafferton Farm,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Newcastle University's Agricultural Research Unit,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58where they grow plots of different crops side by side,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01some grown conventionally, others organically,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and they can see the difference.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Professor Carlo Leifert is one of the scientists
0:20:06 > 0:20:08responsible for bringing together
0:20:08 > 0:20:11the research to create this new analysis.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14What were the main results from your study?
0:20:14 > 0:20:18We found that, on average, over all crops,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21over all countries in the world that have carried out
0:20:21 > 0:20:23these sorts of studies, organic crops contained
0:20:23 > 0:20:25higher levels of antioxidants,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29lower concentrations of a toxic heavy metal called cadmium,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organic crops.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36What's significant, particularly, about the antioxidant findings?
0:20:36 > 0:20:41They have been linked to lower incidence
0:20:41 > 0:20:44of certain diseases in humans.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50'Carlo's claims are based on more than 340 peer-reviewed studies,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53'which he says point to significant differences
0:20:53 > 0:20:56'between organic and conventionally grown crops.'
0:20:58 > 0:21:01'But, even so, he stops short of saying that organic
0:21:01 > 0:21:03'definitely provides healthier food.'
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Why are you cautious about saying that organics are better for you?
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Well, I'm a scientist.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12You have to now do the obvious experiment,
0:21:12 > 0:21:16which is compare people eating an organic diet with people eating
0:21:16 > 0:21:19a conventional diet to find out how much of a health impact
0:21:19 > 0:21:21you can get from that.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Although it's not proven yet, higher levels of some antioxidants
0:21:27 > 0:21:30have been linked with health benefits in food.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Here is your typical recommended five-a-day.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Now, according to Carlo's claims,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39if this were an organic plateful, in terms of antioxidants
0:21:39 > 0:21:43it would be delivering an extra one to two portions,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45so an organic plateful of five-a-day
0:21:45 > 0:21:49gives you the nutrient hit of six or seven-a-day.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But what impact will this study have on the organic movement?
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Certainly, when John first reported on the subject,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00hopes of growth were high.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03One prediction is that by the year 2000
0:22:03 > 0:22:0720% of all British agriculture will be grown organically.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09But that never happened.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14In fact, rather than 20%, even by its peak in 2008,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18it was actually grown on less than 5% of agricultural land
0:22:18 > 0:22:21and, as organic produce is generally more expensive,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24soon after the financial downturn it went into decline.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27So, will this report change that?
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Lord Peter Melchett is the Policy Director of the Soil Association.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Well, it's very exciting. It's taken years to do it.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37They've had to pull together
0:22:37 > 0:22:40343 different individual research projects.
0:22:40 > 0:22:46It's a massive job, but I think the conclusions are very positive.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49And what impact do you think, or hope, it will have on sales?
0:22:49 > 0:22:53The first thing I think it will do is confirm the views of people
0:22:53 > 0:22:55who already buy organic.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59They generally believe that organic has a better nutrient profile
0:22:59 > 0:23:02for fruit and veg and so on.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04This research confirms that.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Then I think it will influence some people
0:23:07 > 0:23:11who maybe thought that the way in which you grow food,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13the way in which you farm,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16makes no difference to the quality of the food.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19This research chucks that myth out the window.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21In the past, though,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23high-profile studies of organics
0:23:23 > 0:23:25have come to a very different conclusion,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27prompting some pretty definitive statements,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30with one of the most notable coming from
0:23:30 > 0:23:33the then Head of the Food Standards Agency.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35They're not getting value for money in my opinion
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and in the opinion of the Food Standards Agency
0:23:38 > 0:23:42if they think they're buying extra nutritional quality or extra safety.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47They really do seem to have a blind spot about organics,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Sir John and the FSA.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Actually, he said that three years ago and it's got worse.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56So, is Peter Melchett now in a stronger position
0:23:56 > 0:23:58to make eye-catching health claims?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01What we've got now is a meta-analysis,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04pulling together all these hundreds of research studies
0:24:04 > 0:24:07from all over the world, over a long period of time.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10It completely changes the nature of the scientific evidence
0:24:10 > 0:24:12that people need to look at.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14You've been plugging organics for at least 25 years,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16we've been investigating for that length of time,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18In all that time, you're not able to say that
0:24:18 > 0:24:20they're better for you, for our health.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- Surely that's a failing? - You can't be too impatient, Tom.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26The first step is do the work to see if how you grow food
0:24:26 > 0:24:30and how you farm makes a difference to the quality of the food.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33That's been questioned up till now.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35After the publication of this research
0:24:35 > 0:24:38I don't think it can be questioned any more.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47So, what does the academic who's been rubbishing the health claims
0:24:47 > 0:24:51of organic foods all these years make of the latest study?
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Today, Lord Krebs is the Principal of Jesus College, Oxford.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02This study suggests that organic farming leads to increased levels
0:25:02 > 0:25:05of nutritionally desirable compounds, ie, it's better for you.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- Do you agree? - I don't think this study shows that.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10That's what they claim it does.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13No, what they're claiming is that it contains
0:25:13 > 0:25:16higher levels of certain compounds, like antioxidants,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19that may or may not have health benefits,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22but they themselves acknowledge that they haven't looked
0:25:22 > 0:25:24at the actual health benefit consequences,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27so simply saying it's got more in
0:25:27 > 0:25:30doesn't necessarily prove that it's better for you.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33These are not just the views of Lord Krebs.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38Within the scientific community there has already been criticism,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41questioning everything from the process to the final results.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Do you still think people are wasting their money buying organic food?
0:25:46 > 0:25:49I think it's an individual choice whether you buy organic food or not.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Some people may think it tastes better
0:25:51 > 0:25:54some may think it's better for the environment,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56but if you're buying it on the basis that it makes you healthier,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58and you're paying a premium for that,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00then you are still wasting your money.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03What really matters is eating a balanced diet,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05and it doesn't matter whether it's organic or not.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09So, rather than putting an end to the controversy,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13this scientific study seems to have reinvigorated an argument
0:26:13 > 0:26:18that's been rumbling on for well over a quarter of a century.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23In the often-noisy debate over organics and health,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27this is a significant piece of work and, while it may not trigger
0:26:27 > 0:26:31an organic revolution, it may well persuade some people to spend
0:26:31 > 0:26:35a little bit more on what they believe is good for them.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45'Ever since the early days of Countryfile,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47'I've spent a lot of time talking to farmers...'
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Last word with the farmer, then.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51If we don't look after the countryside,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53it'll just go to wrack and ruin.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'..and to a whole host of other interesting people...'
0:26:56 > 0:27:00That's quite a combination, Andrew, grocer and funeral director.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Yeah, you sort of look after them when they're living
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and then you look after them when they pass on to the next stage.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08'I've met a Prince, prime ministers,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11'and people who grow everything from tomatoes...'
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Mmm! Never thought I'd eat an Icelandic tomato!
0:27:15 > 0:27:17'..to olives...'
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- And can you eat these olives, then? - Do you want to try?
0:27:20 > 0:27:22- They look very inviting, don't they? - They do.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25They're a beautiful colour on a lovely colour tree.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27HE CHUCKLES
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Urgh!
0:27:32 > 0:27:33HE COUGHS
0:27:33 > 0:27:35'I've met butchers...'
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Nice to see you. '..bakers and a sandcastle-maker.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:39I love the detail. I mean,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42how do you do the stonework here?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45I just scratch in the sand here, like this, then blow the surface.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49You mustn't suck, or you end up with a mouthful of sand!
0:27:49 > 0:27:50That's clever.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54'I've lazed in the meadow with Jilly Cooper...
0:27:54 > 0:27:56'taken a walk with Alan Titchmarsh,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59'and even met another version of myself.'
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Hello, again, and on this special 20th anniversary of Countryfile,
0:28:03 > 0:28:08what better way to surprise John Craven than with another John Craven?
0:28:08 > 0:28:13- John, how are you?!- John Craven went to find out more. Hello, John.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17'There's been local historians...'
0:28:17 > 0:28:20There's a lovely story about the hairy hands.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23As you're driving home across Dartmoor,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25this hairy hand comes from nowhere
0:28:25 > 0:28:28and grabs the steering wheel and pulls you off the road
0:28:28 > 0:28:30and you have a terrible accident.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32'..passionate environmentalists...'
0:28:32 > 0:28:34The environment is what we live in
0:28:34 > 0:28:36and we should understand it, taste it, smell it
0:28:36 > 0:28:37and then respect it.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40'..and lots and lots of Countryfile viewers.'
0:28:40 > 0:28:43You've washed your hands, haven't you, after that dirty work?
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Thank you.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47- Hey, guys, you'll never guess who this is.- Who's this?
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- Hello, my name is John Craven. - No!
0:28:50 > 0:28:52- Hi, John!- We need a stand-in!
0:28:52 > 0:28:56He's so busy, sometimes we need somebody else. Can you do it?
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Are you available?
0:28:58 > 0:29:02I always tell my colleagues I'm much better looking than he is!
0:29:02 > 0:29:06And I must say, very nice, similar line in sweaters going on here!
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Honestly, I've loved every minute of it,
0:29:09 > 0:29:10but one of my favourite bits
0:29:10 > 0:29:13has to be our annual photographic competition.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26Picture number one is Welsh Farmer On Horseback by Myra Price,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28aged 15 from Dyfed.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32'In the 23 years that the photo competition has been running,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35'I've seen a vast array of breathtaking photos.'
0:29:35 > 0:29:39And the winner, by a margin of over 1,000 votes,
0:29:39 > 0:29:41is Penny Hughes with her Farmyard Scene.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Congratulations, Penny.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47'And selecting the winners were some pretty perceptive judges.'
0:29:47 > 0:29:49What about this one, Levitation?
0:29:50 > 0:29:53What would you call that? It's so sweet, that.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56I've got the winner here. This one.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57What do you reckon?
0:29:58 > 0:30:01It's a... A red kite...
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- there. - JOHN LAUGHS
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Of course it is. Of course.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09We first turned the winning photographs into a calendar in 2000
0:30:09 > 0:30:13and they've raised millions of pounds for Children in Need.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15It would be impossible to say which I think is the best
0:30:15 > 0:30:19picture of the hundreds of thousands that have been sent in over
0:30:19 > 0:30:23the 20-odd years of the competition, but this is one of my favourites.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27It's the overall winner from 2010 by Jennifer Duncan,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29and it always makes me smile.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32I love the way that all the other puffins are watching this one
0:30:32 > 0:30:34to see whether he makes a mess of the landing.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49This week we're celebrating John Craven's
0:30:49 > 0:30:5125th anniversary on Countryfile.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53The cake's ready...
0:30:53 > 0:30:55the bubbles are on ice...
0:30:55 > 0:30:59and we've made him editor for this particular episode.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Choosing what to go into the programme has been a tough job,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04especially when he's done so many different things
0:31:04 > 0:31:06and been to so many different places.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11Here in Bedfordshire...
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire...
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Bakewell in the heart of the Peak District National Park...
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Beverly Hills in California...
0:31:18 > 0:31:19County Galway...
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Dartmoor... Italy...
0:31:21 > 0:31:22The coast of South Wales...
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Gigha in the Inner Hebrides...
0:31:24 > 0:31:26The South Downs of West Sussex...
0:31:26 > 0:31:28We're on the Falkland Islands... The Isle of Mull...
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Romania... Iceland...
0:31:30 > 0:31:32North Devon... ..islands...
0:31:32 > 0:31:33Shropshire... Cumbria...
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Britain's tallest mountain, Ben Nevis.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37We can't see a thing of it today.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38But, no matter what the weather,
0:31:38 > 0:31:42Countryfile covers the whole of the British Isles
0:31:42 > 0:31:43almost every week of the year.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51And this week I'm in the Cotswolds on Adam's farm.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53We're very lucky though, John, aren't we?
0:31:53 > 0:31:56As well as seeing great places, we get to go behind the scenes,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00- and we're always learning something new, aren't we?- We are.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03You go back to familiar places, but there's things you never knew about.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06I mean, recently, I went to Crummackdale in the Yorkshire Dales.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Now, I love the Dales, but I'd never heard of Crummackdale before.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12And in Crummackdale there's these amazing stones
0:32:12 > 0:32:14called the Norber Erratics.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16It's upside down geology.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18The older stones are at the top
0:32:18 > 0:32:20and they're creating fantastic shapes.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23One place I went to that was really dramatic was to
0:32:23 > 0:32:26the north-west coast of Scotland, just stunning up there.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29And the Northumberland coast is one of my favourite places, as well.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32But really, for me, there's no place like home - the Cotswold hills.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34In fact, this clump of trees is very special
0:32:34 > 0:32:37because I can see it from miles around.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39When I'm 20-30 miles from home, I can see it, recognise it,
0:32:39 > 0:32:40and know I'm nearly home.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Back in 2001, I did a series of films for Countryfile
0:32:44 > 0:32:47about classic drives in classic cars,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50from a Bentley to an old Morris Minor,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53and I went all over the countryside.
0:32:53 > 0:32:59I remember, in Ireland, I stopped on the banks of Galway Bay
0:32:59 > 0:33:01and had a little sing.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04- I remember your dulcet tones. You've got a good voice.- No!
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- How much of that was really you? - Bing Crosby a bit of it.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09THEY LAUGH
0:33:09 > 0:33:13# If you ever go across the sea to Ireland
0:33:15 > 0:33:22# BING CROSBY: Then maybe, at the closing of your day
0:33:22 > 0:33:28# You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh
0:33:30 > 0:33:35# And watch the barefoot gossoons at their play... #
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Now, I'm not expecting Matt to give us a song,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44but I'm sure he would like to make a journey across the countryside
0:33:44 > 0:33:47in a classic car, so that's the assignment I've set him.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49One-take wonder.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50Sometimes.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52THEY LAUGH
0:33:52 > 0:33:57It's a story I've found from my own knowledge of the Chiltern Hills.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59So John has sent me to Buckinghamshire,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02where I'm making a trip to a rather special hill,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05one with a classic car connection.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09But, right now, the only vintage vehicle is my old Land Rover.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14Back in the early 1900s,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17this stunning yet sleepy bit of countryside gave its name
0:34:17 > 0:34:20to one of Britain's most famous classic cars.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22The hill on which I stand is Aston Hill
0:34:22 > 0:34:26and the car I'm talking about is the Aston Martin.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33A century ago, Aston Hill was the spot for a growing sport.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38Hill climbing, not on foot, but in that then rare thing -
0:34:38 > 0:34:39an automobile.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46At only 800m, the track was short,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49but the sharp turns demanded a lot of the new drivers.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55In 1914, a young man called Lionel Martin
0:34:55 > 0:34:57took part in Aston Hillclimb.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Now, he was so successful in this race that,
0:35:00 > 0:35:02when he went on to build his own cars,
0:35:02 > 0:35:07he combined the name of this hill with his own name - Aston Martin -
0:35:07 > 0:35:10and a legend in the history of British motoring was born.
0:35:16 > 0:35:22Vintage Aston Martins are restored by hand using traditional skills.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24It takes years to master them.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Foolishly, they're letting me have a go.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36How long is the actual apprenticeship?
0:35:36 > 0:35:39I've been in this for 27 years now and I'm still learning
0:35:39 > 0:35:40how to, you know, get various shapes
0:35:40 > 0:35:44and different sort of curves, and all that sort of thing.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Ooh, I went a little bit too much there. Ooh.
0:35:46 > 0:35:47Will this be going on a car?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49- It will? All right then, OK. - It definitely will.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52- Just don't tell the customer. - Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Anyway, if I'm working on YOUR Aston Martin, I'm ever so sorry.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56THEY LAUGH
0:35:59 > 0:36:01With so many heritage cars here,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04I'm like a kid in a sweet shop.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Head of Aston Martin Works Paul Spires shows me a real classic.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Now, that car on the end there, Paul, that has caught my eye.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- Has it? Let's go and have a look at it.- Yes, please. Oh!
0:36:15 > 0:36:19Look at the... Oh, the door latch!
0:36:19 > 0:36:20The quality.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25So if I was going to pop my Land Rover in part exchange
0:36:25 > 0:36:28for something like this, how much more would I have to spend?
0:36:28 > 0:36:31You'd probably have to add another £500,000 to that car.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- HE EXHALES DEEPLY - Really?
0:36:34 > 0:36:38Originally, it was owned by Sir Paul McCartney and,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41rumour has it, he started to write the lyrics to Hey Jude
0:36:41 > 0:36:43actually driving this car.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- Really? Behind the wheel? - Behind the wheel.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48Now, would you like to take it for a little spin?
0:36:48 > 0:36:52- Would I?! Paul, yes, please. - ENGINE STARTS
0:36:56 > 0:36:58You know what? If it's good enough for Paul McCartney,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01it's good enough for me. Here we go.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04Oh, that's so wonderful!
0:37:11 > 0:37:15If there was a list of ways to experience the British countryside,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17this would be at the top.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19# Hey, Jude... #
0:37:19 > 0:37:24But McCartney's car is just the taxi to get me back to Aston Hill,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27where I'm swapping the DB6 for a heritage racing car
0:37:27 > 0:37:30to re-run the vintage climb.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36I'm meeting Mark Donoghue, who owns one of the earliest Aston Martins.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39It roared up here in the 1920s but hasn't been back since.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45This is a 1923 Bamford and Martin Sidevalve,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48known as "Cloverleaf" because of the style of the body
0:37:48 > 0:37:52- and the little seat in the back here. - Oh, is that the passenger there?
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Yeah. He started the production line in 1923
0:37:54 > 0:37:58and this was one of the very first cars that rolled out of that factory.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01And what is it like then, for you, as the owner of this car now,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03to be here at this very spot?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- I'm more of a custodian.- Right. - It's an honour.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10And to be here 90 years on is an incredible feeling.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Well, an honour for you and... an honour, an absolute honour,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16for me because you've allowed me to have a little go of this.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20- There's a lot of leavers and a lot of pedals...- It's...
0:38:20 > 0:38:22..and they're all in the wrong order!
0:38:22 > 0:38:24It's quite a complicated thing to drive.
0:38:24 > 0:38:25It took me a couple of months.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28You've got a couple of minutes to learn.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31You'll notice that the accelerator and the brake pedal are reversed.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Yes.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36There is also a brake lever, which operates the rear wheels,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38which you have to use simultaneously.
0:38:38 > 0:38:39The gearbox is in reverse.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42First is where fourth would be on a normal car,
0:38:42 > 0:38:44and that's just the start. THEY LAUGH
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Oh, dear, me!
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Well, I tell you what, I'll do my best and you close your eyes.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51That's a good idea. HE LAUGHS
0:38:51 > 0:38:54There you go. ENGINE REVS
0:38:54 > 0:38:56OK, let's see if we can get this thing moving.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00There we go!
0:39:00 > 0:39:02And they're off on Aston Hill! Woo-hoo!
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- Right, I'm going to try for second! - Right.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- Ready?!- Go for it.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- Oh, yes! Oh, you did great!- Yes!
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- That was magnificent.- We're in second and we're going up Aston Hill.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- It doesn't get any better than this, Mark.- No, it doesn't.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26'We're only doing 30mph, but it feels like 130.'
0:39:30 > 0:39:34Let's see if I can get up this hill. I'm a little bit...
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- Yeah, we'll be fine.- Here we go! Come on, come on, come on!
0:39:37 > 0:39:39- Come on, baby! Come on!- Oh, yeah.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42You're on home turf now! Oh, yes!
0:39:44 > 0:39:48- We're going for the record!- We're doing really well.- Let's lean in!
0:39:48 > 0:39:52'Not quite the same as one of John's serene drives.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:53Yes!
0:39:54 > 0:39:57You can see why this was really tough to win, can't you?
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Come on! Yes!
0:39:59 > 0:40:01We're going to go all the way!
0:40:02 > 0:40:05SHOUTING
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Well, we made it.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10Obviously, Mark, this was the destination then -
0:40:10 > 0:40:11the top of the hill.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13- The top of Aston Hill. - Indeed, it was.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17- And what a view it is. Goodness me. - Beautiful, huh?- Oh, gosh.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20For me, today, to come here to the very spot where Aston Martin
0:40:20 > 0:40:22got its name, and to bring this back...
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- 90 years.- Almost to the day.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27- Isn't that remarkable? - You did really well.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- Oh, well, listen, thank you. - My pleasure.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31And, well, thank YOU, my dear.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35I will never, ever, ever forget that as long as I live.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38So, John, I owe you big time. Thank you.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40- He seemed to enjoy that, didn't he?- He did.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42And I know you really enjoyed your scenic
0:40:42 > 0:40:45drives around the countryside, but you've had lots of other adventures
0:40:45 > 0:40:48- along the way, haven't you? - I have indeed and here's just a few.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Woo-hoo!
0:40:51 > 0:40:52Wow!
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Oof!
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Oh, good morning. Welcome... PIGS SQUEAL
0:40:58 > 0:40:59Ah!
0:40:59 > 0:41:02How about that? HE LAUGHS
0:41:04 > 0:41:05We all right?
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Arg!
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Well, if... Oh! HE LAUGHS
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Riding like the wind!
0:41:14 > 0:41:16I'm in training for a challenge that Charlotte set me
0:41:16 > 0:41:19when she went snorkelling in Wales.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21So, now you know.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Well, now then, after all that lot, I've got one more surprise for you.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- Come on in here.- Really?
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Now then, John...
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- Come and have a look at this. - What is this?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36We've got a little bit of sparkle for you.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37Oh, how lovely. Thank you.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Oh, and look at that cake.
0:41:40 > 0:41:41"John Craven,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43"outstanding in his field."
0:41:43 > 0:41:45THEY LAUGH
0:41:45 > 0:41:47- Oh, that's fantastic. - 25 years.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Well, I have to admit, I didn't make it,
0:41:49 > 0:41:53- but it is from the whole Countryfile team.- Well, that is super.
0:41:53 > 0:41:54Congratulations, John,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57on reaching this incredible milestone on Countryfile.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Right, let's crack open the fizz.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02When they said, "You're taking over from John",
0:42:02 > 0:42:06that is the very definition of big shoes to fill.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Here's to another - whoa! Another 25 years!
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Well... Not sure about THAT!
0:42:14 > 0:42:18John, you are just a thoroughly, thoroughly wonderful man.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20All that's left, John, is for you to say goodbye.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24Right, well, I hope you've enjoyed my little trip down memory lane -
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I certainly have - and see you again very soon, I hope. Bye for now.