Adam Henson's financial crisis during foot-and-mouth outbreak nearly cost him his farm

Countryfile's Adam Henson has confessed that the devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak nearly resulted in him losing everything: his house, farm and source of income. Back in 2001, Adam, now aged 55, and wife Charlotte stood on the verge of launching Cotswold Farm Park in Cheltenham after investing all they had into it.

Unfortunately, timing was not on their side, as this was the exact moment when the epidemic broke out leading to a large-scale slaughter of animals and substantial blows to both tourism and farming sectors.

In conversation with Telegraph back in 2016, Adam disclosed how critically close they had come to the farm's complete downfall, noting that: "The worst time was in 2001 we'd invested heavily in Cotswold Farm Park, then foot-and-mouth hit just before we opened."

He went on to describe the immense financial burden they had found themselves under, saying, "The bank closed in and wanted their money. We probably owed £250,000 with all the borrowed money on machines and what we'd invested in the farm park."

Bearing a heavy rent bill, all their resources were tied up in sheep and tractors. With markets shut down, there was no possibility of selling the sheep, and equally, farm sales were out of the question given nobody was permitted entry onto their premises, reports the Mirror.

Thankfully, some relief came from a "small payout" they received from their insurance policy, providing a much-needed lifeline during the crisis period.

As Adam summed it up, their situation was dire; they were within an inch of ruin but eventually succeeded in opening up the farm park, mentioning "We lived in a rented farmhouse on the farm and still do so we were about to lose our livelihoods, our jobs and houses."

"Thankfully we battled on and eventually opened Cotswold Farm Park."

Adam's career took a turn for the better when he landed a role on Countryfile, which provided a significant boost for the couple.

Speaking to The Mirror, Adam expressed his gratitude: "I'm grateful for Countryfile."

He recalled the challenging times in 2001 when foot-and-mouth disease was rampant, saying, "In 2001 when foot-and-mouth disease was rife, we couldn't open the park and business was very bad."

Countryfile conducted a presenter search, and despite his initial lack of interest, Adam's partner encouraged him to apply, believing he would excel at it.

"After lots of auditions I ended up getting the job."

Cotswold Farm Park is not only a working farm but also a public attraction where visitors can see rare breeds, watch milking and shearing demonstrations, and enjoy nature walks and picnics.

The site also features a campsite and caravan park.