Following a record-breaking first series in which it became More4’s biggest ever commission to date, Matt Baker: Our Farm in the Dales has been recommissioned for two new series as well as a festive special.

The series, from Chilterns based Big Circus Media, follows three generations of the Baker family – Matt and his wife Nicola, their kids Molly and Luke and Matt’s parents Mike and Janice – on the family’s organic sheep farm in the Durham hills as they continue to make the vital changes needed to secure the future of the family farm.

The Bakers will undoubtedly have their work cut out again as they rally to get things back on track post pandemic. We’ll also discover how the new breeds of sheep are getting on and follow the progress of Mike’s 1946 Dodge car that Matt and some local friends so lovingly brought back to life in the first series. With cameo appearances from the miniature donkeys, sheep, dogs, and chickens, we’ll check in with Matt for an update on his never ending to do list, meet plenty of local characters and new animal arrivals, and see how Janice has adapted to life on the farm in the wake of her accident.

Series star, Director and Executive Producer for Big Circus Media, Matt Baker said, "We were overwhelmed with the response to the first series and my whole family are delighted to welcome viewers back to witness the next chapter of our farm. I’m so grateful to Deborah Dunnett and Channel 4 for their continued support and confidence in my growing production company and team. To have a festive special too is the icing on the Christmas cake.”

Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Features and Daytime at Channel 4 added, “I am absolutely thrilled that the Bakers will once again be sharing their rural paradise with More4 viewers. We’ve all loved spending time in the company of the family and their animals, against the glorious backdrop of the Durham Dales, so to have two new series and a Christmas special to look forward to is just an utter joy.”

Co-founder of Big Circus Media and Executive Producer Gareth Collett said, “It's fabulous that Channel 4 have committed to this number of programmes from a small regional indie that only opened its doors last year. If anything shows how important the current Channel 4 model is to small media firms just starting out, it's this."

Matt Baker: Our Farm in the Dales was commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor for Features & Daytime, Deborah Dunnett. The two 6 x 60’ series and festive special are a Big Circus Media production and the Executive Producers are Gareth Collett and Matt Baker.

ENDS