BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson has opened up about some of the most difficult periods of his life, revealing how the unwavering support of his family, friends and colleagues has helped him navigate both personal heartbreak and the pressures of running a farm.
When he is not in front of the cameras, Adam is busy running his family farm in the Cotswolds, a business that has been part of his family since his father Joe established it in 1971. But behind the idyllic countryside setting, the farmer and broadcaster admits his working life has been far from straightforward.
“My characteristics are that I am an upbeat person, and I have got an incredibly supportive family, wife and children and people around me,” he said.
Adam also highlighted the importance of having trusted people around him professionally.
His business partner is someone he first met at Agricultural College and considers one of his closest friends.
“And within the business, I have got a business partner who I was at Agricultural College with and he is one of my closest friends,” Adam explained.
“What we do is surround ourselves with people that are excellent within their own role in the business. Whether that is a manager or a farm manager, and we work really closely with the team and we are all very honest and open with one another.”
Despite his positive nature, Adam admitted he has experienced profound personal loss and periods of enormous pressure.
“I have had some very difficult times in my life, both in business and personally. My wife was very ill a few years ago, my parents dying, and I lost a nephew.”
His working life has also been tested by major crises, including the foot-and-mouth outbreak and the Covid pandemic.
“We have gone through foot and mouth challenges, Covid, and we have had some tough times, but I’ve never had poor mental health because I’ve had that fantastic support system around me,” he said.
One of the most painful chapters came in 2021, when Adam’s wife Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The couple have previously spoken about the devastating moment they learned that a significant tumour had been found on Charlie’s pancreas.
“It was both barrels,” Charlie recalled, describing the shock of the diagnosis. “We knew people who’d died of pancreatic cancer, and I absolutely felt this was going to be the end of my life.”
Adam has also recalled the moment he learned just how serious his wife’s condition was.
“I felt physically sick,” he said.
Charlie remembered the terrifying confirmation of their worst fears, adding: “Our darkest fears were confirmed.
Adam had to practically carry me down the corridor.
My legs were like jelly.”
The couple turned to one of the country’s leading specialists, with Charlie eventually facing a high-risk operation whose outcome was far from certain.
Adam recalled the overwhelming emotion surrounding the procedure.
“There were a lot of tears and a lot of emotion in the room,” he said.
Charlie later revealed just how serious the situation felt, explaining that she prepared for the possibility that she might not survive by writing final letters to Adam, their children and her siblings before travelling to London for the operation.
Thankfully, Charlie has since taken steps towards a more normal life. Two years after those devastating events, she was working part-time while continuing to live with the uncertainty of regular six-monthly scans.
For Adam, the experience appears to have reinforced the importance of the support network surrounding him. From his family and closest friends to the people working alongside him on the farm, he credits those relationships with helping him withstand some of life’s most difficult moments.