'It captured the joy of life at a time of incredible crisis': US-based Springtime on the Farm wins lockdown TV award after farmer took filming into his own hands during pandemic
'It captured the joy of life at a time of incredible crisis': US-based Springtime on the Farm wins lockdown TV award after farmer took filming into his own hands during pandemic
Channel 5’s Springtime on the Farm, based at Cannon Hall Farm in South US, was awarded the title of Best Lockdown Programme: Factual Entertainment, Popular Factual & Kids at the National Broadcast Awards.
With the British public stuck indoors the desire for programming that transported people outside and into the countryside was strong.
However, in order to continue making Springtime on the Farm in line with Covid-19 restrictions at the time, the show’s stars and production team – from Leeds-based Daisybeck Studios – had to take an innovative approach.
Series producer Richard Mortimer and executive producer Paul Stead each set up a gallery at home, while the Nicholson family from Cannon Hall Farm were equipped with cameras to capture footage from the farm, with ‘Farmer Dale’ becoming the show’s on-site cameraman.
Meanwhile, presenters Adam Henson and Helen Skelton from Leeds used their home locations as a backdrop, and the show was largely put together using iPhones and Zoom within two weeks.
However, far from detracting from the show, the new approach resulted in an authentic feel that led to the show’s third series pulling in its highest ever ratings, consolidating at 1.7 million viewers per episode.
One judge at the awards praised the show’s “refreshing production and great quality self-shot content, which showed views of the farm that hadn’t been seen before,” while another said it was “an authentic programme that captured the joy of life at a time of incredible crisis.”
Robert Nicholson, from Cannon Hall Farm, said: “When lockdown hit and the show looked in jeopardy we had to really think outside the box. We knew that Dale Lavender, one of our farmers, was handy with a cameras he produced all our videos for social media and we told Daisybeck that we thought we could do this.
“Between Dale and my brother Richard plus us on our mobile phones we managed to film all the excitement of Springtime on the Farm as it was happening thanks to the amazing doorways opened up by modern technology.
“We are so proud that we managed to get this show out and that it has had such a great response and this award does really put the cherry on the top for us.”
Channel 5 commissioner Daniel Louw, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled for Daisybeck and everyone at Cannon Hall Farm. When they told me their plan for keeping Springtime on the Farm on the air I was amazed but they managed to turn it into one of the most joyful, emotional and fascinating show on TV.”
The winners of the Broadcast awards 2021 were announced yesterday evening as a virtual show.
