It's "business as usual, without the romance", says TV star and shepherdess Amanda Owen as she and her ex, Clive Owen return to our screens in their new Channel 4 documentary, Our Farm Next Door, which follows the former couple as they breathe life back into a derelict farmhouse – Anty John’s - just a stone's throw away from their family home in the Yorkshire Dales.
The couple and their nine children found fame on the Channel 5 show, Our Yorkshire Farm, which ended after five years in 2022, the same year Amanda and Clive announced their separation.
Sitting down with HELLO! ahead of their TV comeback, Amanda, 50, opens up about family life after her split with Clive, 69, why the pair "never really separated" and how their children are following in their footsteps.
Why did you and Clive decide to team up to renovate Anty John's?
A: "Why wouldn't we? I know when people separate the clue is in the definition: 'separate'. But actually, when you're spinning as many plates as we do with our business and our children, our whole lives are intertwined. So there never really was a separation in that we've always been in each other's lives.
"The bigger picture is that we need to make everything work and keep everything going forward. I know it's a bit of a cliche to say that farming is 24/7 but it really is. There is just so much to contend with without even thinking about the children. There's plenty of work to go around. It's pretty much business as usual, without the romance."
© LORNA ROACHHow do you navigate each other's different approaches to the renovation now that you're not together?
A: "That's life, it's differences of opinion. We've both gone into this totally and utterly not knowing anything about renovation. It's been a huge undertaking. Anyone who thinks farming life is some sort of bucolic idyll, it's not, and that's what we always hoped to put across with the previous programme, Our Yorkshire Farm.
© LORNA ROACH"We hoped it was relatable in that you don't always get a happy ending. I figure that’s what people can relate to because that’s life. Whether it’s dealing with the farm or the renovation when things haven't gone to plan, it's how you move forward that matters. It's exactly the same with relationships, and I know Clive would reiterate that too. If we got on like a house on fire and agreed on everything, then we probably wouldn't have separated."
Your eldest son Reuben, 21, has set up his own company and even starred in his own show. You must be so proud.
A: "I absolutely am. I've got nine kids. They're all very different characters. Raven's [23] very academic, she's working as a scientist and still studying. I'm so proud of her. Reuben too, he's doing something completely different, but doing what he loves. It's the same with the others, they've all got their own personalities.
© Instagram"Being here on the farm is the best school you could ever wish for because it gives you the space and room to find out what you love and what you hate. I'm not for one minute thinking that they're all going to be farmers, but they have got such huge opportunities to channel what they like. "
Were you thinking of your children's future when deciding to renovate Anty John's?
A: "Absolutely. We set off with an idea of putting down roots of permanence because Ravenseat is not ours, it's tenanted. To be able to afford to buy somewhere next door was an incredible opportunity.
"It's like the stars aligned to make that work. Thinking about it, everything we do is about looking to the future and what the kids want to do, and giving them the ability to stay around here, should they wish to."
© Matt DavisDo you think the children will run the farm one day?
A: "Maybe. You just don't know what's around the corner. My son Sidney (12) is absolutely hellbent on being a farmer. Miles (16) too, he loves his farming. I just want to be able to facilitate that. I'm not going, 'Here's your farm, get on with it', because that's no lesson learned whatsoever.
"Clive and I will give them opportunities, but we won't hand it to them on a plate."
© LORNA ROACHIs it useful to have your children's help around the farm?
A: "Of course, the more the merrier. The kids are growing up and it's always about looking forward to the next generation. I'm not intending to slow down. I think I haven't peaked yet. As you get older you morph into a new mode and a new way of doing things.
"The children become stronger and gradually we fizzle out. But that's how it is. As long as they've got enthusiasm and are enjoying what they're doing, then that's wonderful."
© InstagramHow does it feel to have support from fans ahead of your TV return?
A: "It's wonderful, but you never get used to being in the public eye – even now it sometimes doesn't feel real. It's really nice to be back on screen and showcase what we are and what we're about because ultimately, we're very proud of what we do. But we're not unique in that we also go through hard times, just like everyone else. Sometimes you just need a little bit of space to sort things out and let things heal, and we've done that, so now we're back at it."
Our Farm Next Door airs Monday, October 14 at 9pm.
