INTERVIEW
The Love Island star on sharing farm life with an audience of millions – and why he’s just as happy chatting to his sheep
1 You swapped the lambing shed for Love Island. Was stardom always the plan?
Not at all. I’m a sixth-generation farmer. Before I could walk, I was helping my dad bottle-feed lambs and calves on our 350-acre farm in Buckinghamshire. It’s been in the family for nearly 200 years. As I grew older, I dreamed of being a footballer – I had a place at the Watford FC Academy – but farming has always been my real passion. After I left school, I chose to work on the farm and loved it.
2 What made you leave real life for a reality TV show?
When I was invited to join the 2023 series of Love Island, I saw an opportunity to show people what farming really involves. Alot of people still don’t fully understand how their food is produced. I also wanted to highlight the struggles many farmers have with mental health. It’s great working outdoors, but it can be tough.
3 You’ve said that being around animals can be a comfort. How have they helped you?
I like to talk to my animals because they’re always excited when I approach and never judge me. They’re a good antidote to much of farming life, which can be lonely. When you’re on your own in a field, your thoughts can run away with you. You can’t drop everything to go out with your mates because there’s always something to do.
4 Love Island must have seemed like a long holiday…
It did – although the highlight was leaving the villa with Jessie [Wynter], who now lives with me and my family. It’s wonderful to have someone to share this life with. She quickly adapted to the lifestyle because she grew up in rural Tasmania, which is even more remote. She was shocked we had neighbours.
5 So you weren’t tempted to ditch sheep farming for showbiz?
By the end of the show, I couldn’t wait to return home to feed the animals. I left the sunny South African villa and jumped straight back into my muddy wellies. I love my animals: as well as 1,500 breeding sheep, we have six alpacas, six goats, two pygmy pigs and two donkeys – Napoleon and Nelson, who live at the bottom of the garden. We’ve also rehomed three emus from a local shelter to remind Jessie of home.
6 You must be in the midst of lambing. How are you finding it?
It’s the only time I feel overwhelmed. We work 18-hour days for three weeks, lambing up to 1,400 sheep. Bringing new life into the world can be amazing, but it’s also physically and emotionally draining. No matter how well we prepare, things never go to plan. The weather has a huge impact. If the sun is shining, the ewes will lamb themselves. But if it’s wet and cold, some of the lambs won’t make it. It’s heartbreaking.
7 What’s your survival strategy
