The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir kicked off Tuesday night’s National Television Awards with a bang, as the BGT winners took to the stage to open the show.
The choir, conjured up by Jeremy Clarkson, has been on quite the journey since they first got together to work on an advert for the former Top Gear star’s beer.
They bagged Britain’s Got Talent victory earlier this year, and now have an album and nationwide tour in the pipeline.
But despite the newfound success, one thing hasn’t changed for all of the choir’s members: day-to-day farming life.
The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir spoke on the red carpet of this year’s NTAs
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GB NEWS
“You can’t even describe it. It’s been absolutely wild. The fact that we are here now means everything, doesn’t it?” farmer Ben Brooke told GB News on the NTAs red carpet.
Fellow choir member Katryna Shell echoed: “We’re just farmers, and now we’ve got an album, and we’ve got a tour, and we’re on a red carpet!”
The success hasn’t come without its hardships, however. “It’s hard. Farming hasn’t changed. We’re still grafting,” farmer-turned-singer Rosanna Bates said.
“But we’re relying on a lot of our friends to help us make sure we can do this because we think this is really important if we can shine a light on it.”
The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir arrived in full force before opening Tuesday’s awards
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PA
It’s been no secret that a scorching hot summer has plagued farms up and down the country, so how have members of the Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir coped?
“Up and down,” Mr Brook said. “It’s been super dry, and then we’ve had a lot of rain in the last two weeks, and that’s super wet. So you just never win, really.”
Mr Clarkson is one prominent voice in the farming world who has regularly bemoaned the hardships that adverse weather has on British farmers.
And the Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir remains grateful for shining a light on the realities, whether it be upbeat or downright heartbreaking, that farmers face.
The Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir praised Clarkson for shining a light on British farming
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GB NEWS
Andy Owens chipped in: “He’s shown the inner workings of a farm. He’s shown the ups and downs, the daily struggles, the financial woes, how slim the return is on produce, if any at all.
“And I think people have lost their relationship with food in this country and where it comes from. And Jeremy and Clarkson’s Farm have pushed that into the mainstream media like no one else.”
Mr Brook agreed: “I think he’s done more for British agriculture than actually anybody has, and that’s a genuine thing.
“We’re all farmers. You won’t really meet a farmer that doesn’t feel the same way, and I think that goes a long way.”
Jeremy Clarkson runs his own farm and pub in the Cotswolds
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AMAZONMs Shell was keen to emphasise another message that Mr Clarkson has been pushing through five seasons of Clarkson’s Farm.
“The thing is, whatever you eat, it will have generally come from a farmer,” she explained. “So we’re quite integral to this country.
“And we just want to say it is a hard life, but actually we’re so privileged to be able to do it, and we’re very grateful.”
So what advice would the choir members have for people unsure of how to get behind British farming?
“Buy British and eat seasonal when you can,” they said in unison.
Ms Bates added: “And go out and get out into nature. Go out and talk to each other and be there. Be present and know what you’re doing, what you’re eating, where it comes from, and connect with each other again.”
Clarkson’s Farm was among the winners on Tuesday night for Factual Documentary, with Mr Clarkson accompanied by Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland on stage to accept the gong.
Other winners included Strictly Come Dancing, Alan Carr, Michael McIntyre, This Morning, Emmerdale, and Sir David Attenborough.