Matt Baker Returns To More4 For Travels With Mum And Dad

24 February 2022

Having introduced three generations of his family and the organic Durham hill farm he grew up on, Matt Baker is returning to More4 for an adventure series across the North East – accompanied by his mum Janice, dad Mike and their old refurbished caravan.

Matt Baker: Travels with Mum and Dad (4 x 60’) will take viewers on a breathtaking trip around the North East, where the Bakers are lucky enough to have some of the country’s most beautiful sites on their doorstep. They’ll be reliving old memories, making new ones, and most importantly, making time for each other. With the demands of rural life and their animals, Janice and Mike have barely spent a night away from the farm so Matt’s keen to give them day trips to remember within easy reach of the home.

During the four part series, Matt, Janice and Mike will go behind the scenes at Bamburgh Castle, Beamish with its world famous living open air museum, Hexham Racecourse and Durham Cathedral. Meeting a range of friendly faces, from racehorse breeders at Hexham to the restorers at Bamburgh Castle, Matt and his parents will learn first-hand about the history, traditions and crafts these places have inspired and see just how these Northern institutions form vital parts of the local community. 

Along the way, tea-loving Janice learns how to blend Earl Grey on the very spot it was invented, Matt rides a champion racehorse, gets a crash course in bell ringing and dives into Durham’s River Weir on a mid-winter treasure hunt. Mike meets the craftspeople caring for Durham Cathedral and they all help prepare Hexham racecourse for the first jump race of the season.

Series star, Executive Producer and co-founder of Big Circus Media, Matt Baker: “It’s been a joy taking Mum and Dad out for these trips around our beloved North East. I hope that viewers feel like they’re coming along for the ride with us and enjoy seeing my dad’s old caravan, fresh from being restored in Our Farm in the Dales. We’ve made some great memories met some wonderful people and I’m so proud of what we’ve all created together – not even a caravan disaster could stop our travels! With my production company I’m relishing working with great talent that I’ve met in my career and I’m so grateful to Deborah Dunnett and More4 for continuing to show us their support in making the heartfelt programmes that we feel passionate about creating.”

Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Features and Daytime at Channel 4: “I am delighted that the Bakers will be taking More4 viewers on a tour of their North East. We absolutely love being in their company, and at a time when we’ve all come to appreciate the delights that lie closer to home, this series is set to be a real tonic.”

Co-founder of Big Circus Media and Executive Producer Gareth Collett: “As a family, Matt, Mike and Janice Baker are all a real pleasure to film with.  Their enthusiasm and passion for the North of England and the people who work and live there is a joy to see. Even when a huge storm destroyed Mike’s caravan halfway through production the locals helped source a new second hand one which allowed us to continue our travels.”

Matt Baker: Travels with Mum and Dad was commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor for Features & Daytime, Deborah Dunnett. The 4 x 60’ series is a Big Circus Media production; the Executive Producers are Gareth Collett and Matt Baker, the Series Producer is Dom Carveley and the Production Manager is Anni Wilmot.