Sarah Beeny has had a big year. Not only has the mum-of-four beaten breast cancer, she’s also filmed a whopping 20 episodes of her new Channel 4 daytime series, written a book and made a documentary about life after her diagnosis.

However, Sarah, 51, finds joy and peace in her work – particularly her new show Sarah Beeny’s New Country Lives , which follows people finding different ways of living in the country. She’s inspired by the brave couples and families who decide to create entirely new homes and businesses away from towns.

“I was so lucky to be able to make it,” smiles Sarah, who was undergoing chemotherapy in between filming.

Sarah Beeny, 51, discusses her Channel 4 show, New Country Lives

“I was diagnosed and then made this daytime series. I stuck on a wig and went to work, and it was lovely to come back and just go to work.”

Filming the show lifted Sarah’s spirits and she believes this bucolic series will be a tonic for viewers too, thanks to the triumphant nature of the families involved.

“It’s such a nice show that anyone who isn’t really negative will enjoy,” says Sarah. “It follows people who take the plunge to go and change their lives.”

The people featured take on some huge projects, such as renovating dilapidated farmhouses, refurbishing pubs, starting horse livery services and hosting glampers. One woman even creates a mobile coffee business out of an old horse box. We also see groups try country pursuits like scarecrow-building competitions.

It follows brave people finding entirely new homes and businesses away from towns
Sarah, 51, finds joy and peace in her work

“We wanted to follow people who are carving out whole new lives,” explains Sarah. “It’s really cool and they’re very brave. It takes nerve to do that, and these people have the nerve and it’s inspiring. There are lots of different things they do and you can see so much is possible.”

In fact, Sarah was so inspired by one family on the show that she is following their lead and buying some pigs for her own home.

“There’s an episode where they get pigs, which are brilliant, and we’re actually getting pigs!” laughs Sarah. “They’re really cool.”

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