jules hudson© Photo: BBC

Escape to the Country's Jules Hudson candidly opens up about 'devastating' impact of pandemic  

The TV presenter lost more than £50,000 last year

TV & Film Writer
October 29, 2021

Escape to the Country star Jules Hudson has opened up about the "devastating" impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on him.

MORE: Meet Escape to the Country presenter Jules Hudson's family 

Speaking to The Scottish Mail last year, the presenter admitted that his earnings took a severe hit because of the nationwide lockdown, which meant he was unable to film for TV or take part in in-person events.

WATCH: Jules Hudson shares video of adorable visitors to home farm

Asked how the coronavirus pandemic had affected him, the TV star lamented at the time: "It's been financially devastating."

He explained: "I've lost a lot of expected income. My diary is absolutely empty. Normally, I'd now be filming Escape to the Country and I was planning to go on a tour to promote my latest book. But, of course, all of that has been cancelled. This quarter I've lost between £50,000 and £60,000 of anticipated income."

MORE: Escape to the Country: Where are ex-presenters of the show now?

MORE: Escape to the Country's Alistair Appleton reveals he 'felt like a fraud' on show 

However, he added there was one perk of not working - it meant he could spend more time with his family. "The only upside has been spending more time with our five-year-old son Jack. He is a real little helper to me and my wife Tania," he said.

© Photo: BBC

Jules Hudson has admitted he lost more than £50,000 last year

Elsewhere in the interview, Jules admitted that he was once scammed online - and that it was a "hard lesson" for him. When asked about his biggest money mistake, he said he was cheated out of a tidy sum of money by a scammer on online retailer eBay.

MORE: Escape to the Country's Jules Hudson makes rare comment on family life

He said: "I once bought a quad bike for £1,600 on eBay thinking it was too good to be true – and it was. I was ripped off by a scammer in Spain. I transferred the money directly into his account and learnt a hard lesson. That bike never existed."

Jules lives in Hertfordshire with his partner, Tania Fitzgerald, with whom he shares his son. The pair also share two Labradors, Teddy and Iolo, and reside in a 16th-century farmhouse.

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