Jimmy Doherty (farmer)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Doherty is a Suffolk
based farmer and television presenter for the BBC
, famous for the show Jimmy's Farm
, based around his and his partner Michaela Furney's Essex Pig Company.
, he studied at Newport Free Grammar School
, has a degree in Animal Biology from the University of East London
and studied for a PhD
in entomology
at Coventry University
's zoology
department. He is of Irish
descent.
He then trained as a pig farmer, where, in 2002, he met runner Furney when Channel4's filming for Jamie' s Kitchen took it to the Cumbria
n farm where he was working.
After returning to Essex
to run his own farm, Doherty and Furney set up The Essex Pig Company utilising free range
meat production practices. Based around various rare breeds, the core breed of pig is the endangered Essex, together with the Berkshire
, Gloucester Old Spot
, large
and middle Whites
; Soay
and Jacob
sheep and Red Poll
cattle. Jimmy's farm is in Suffolk
near Ipswich
. There are currently 20 full and part-time staff. Their efforts were followed by a series of fly-on-the-wall documentaries which aired on BBC Two
.
Doherty presented a series for BBC2 called Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes which aired from July 2008 to August 2008, followed by various other series and single documentaries for the BBC. Notably, Jimmy's Food Factory, in which he demonstrated the industrial techniques used in the production of processed foods, ran for two series on BBC One
. When the Controller of BBC One
at the time, Jay Hunt, left to become Chief Creative Officer
at Channel 4
at the end of 2010, she signed up Doherty to present exclusively for Channel 4. Doherty's last series for the BBC, A Farmer's Life for Me, was broadcast in February/March 2011.
Since June 18th 2011, Jimmy's Food Factory airs as 'ProSieben BBC Spezial - Jimmy's Food Factory' every Saturday on German TV channel ProSieben.
Jimmy and Michaela Furney were married on Saturday, 22 August 2009. The reception was held at their farm in Suffolk.
They have a daughter named Molly Rose who was born on August 4th, 2010.
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
based farmer and television presenter for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, famous for the show Jimmy's Farm
Jimmy's Farm
Jimmy's Farm was a documentary series, in 2002, made by Fresh One Productions for BBC Two in the UK. It featured the story of Jimmy Doherty setting up the Essex Pig Company, a rare breeds piggery on the outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk...
, based around his and his partner Michaela Furney's Essex Pig Company.
Biography
A childhood friend of Jamie OliverJamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
, he studied at Newport Free Grammar School
Newport Free Grammar School
Newport Free Grammar School, in Newport, Essex, England was founded in 1588. The school is a mixed comprehensive school with a sixth form. It previously existed in different forms including a boarding school and a grammar school. The Headteacher is Mr Seán O' Hagan and the Deputy headteachers are...
, has a degree in Animal Biology from the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
and studied for a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
at Coventry University
Coventry University
Coventry University is a post-1992 university in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the institution's name was changed from Coventry Polytechnic to Coventry University...
's zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
department. He is of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
descent.
He then trained as a pig farmer, where, in 2002, he met runner Furney when Channel4's filming for Jamie' s Kitchen took it to the Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
n farm where he was working.
After returning to Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
to run his own farm, Doherty and Furney set up The Essex Pig Company utilising free range
Free range
thumb|250px|Free-range chickens being fed outdoors.Free range is a term which outside of the United States denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals are allowed to roam freely instead of being contained in any manner. In the United States, USDA regulations apply only to poultry and...
meat production practices. Based around various rare breeds, the core breed of pig is the endangered Essex, together with the Berkshire
Berkshire (pig)
Berkshire pigs are a rare breed of pig originating from Berkshire in England.Herds of the breed are still maintained in England by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust at Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, and by the South of England Rare Breeds Centre in Kent. The Berkshire is listed as 'vulnerable',...
, Gloucester Old Spot
Gloucester Old Spot
The Gloucestershire Old Spots is an English breed of pig which is predominantly white with black spots. It is named after the county of Gloucestershire. The Gloucestershire Old Spots pig is known for its docility, intelligence, and profligacy...
, large
Large White (pig)
The Large White, also known as the English Large White, is a breed of domestic pig originating in Yorkshire, hence also known as the Yorkshire pig. First recognized in 1868, the breed is the progenitor of the American Yorkshire in North America...
and middle Whites
Middle White
The Middle White is a breed of domestic pig native to the United Kingdom. It originated in Yorkshire roughly around the same time as the Large White. Its name comes from the fact that it was between the size of the Large White and the now-extinct Small White. It was fully recognized as a breed in...
; Soay
Soay sheep
The Soay sheep is a primitive breed of domestic sheep descended from a population of feral sheep on the island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago, about from the Western Isles of Scotland...
and Jacob
Jacob (sheep)
The Jacob sheep is a rare breed of small, piebald , polycerate sheep. Jacobs may have from two to six horns, but most commonly have four. The most common color is black and white, but they may also be blue and white or lilac and white in coloring. Jacobs are usually raised for their wool, meat,...
sheep and Red Poll
Red Poll
The Red Poll is a dual purpose breed of cattle developed in England in the latter half of the 19th century.-Description and uses:The cattle are red, preferably deep red with white only on the tail switch and udder. They are naturally polled...
cattle. Jimmy's farm is in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
near Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
. There are currently 20 full and part-time staff. Their efforts were followed by a series of fly-on-the-wall documentaries which aired on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
.
Doherty presented a series for BBC2 called Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes which aired from July 2008 to August 2008, followed by various other series and single documentaries for the BBC. Notably, Jimmy's Food Factory, in which he demonstrated the industrial techniques used in the production of processed foods, ran for two series on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. When the Controller of BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
at the time, Jay Hunt, left to become Chief Creative Officer
Chief creative officer
A chief creative officer is the highest ranking position of the creative team within a company. This position is responsible for the overall look and feel of all materials, media, and branding associated with the organization...
at Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
at the end of 2010, she signed up Doherty to present exclusively for Channel 4. Doherty's last series for the BBC, A Farmer's Life for Me, was broadcast in February/March 2011.
Since June 18th 2011, Jimmy's Food Factory airs as 'ProSieben BBC Spezial - Jimmy's Food Factory' every Saturday on German TV channel ProSieben.
Jimmy and Michaela Furney were married on Saturday, 22 August 2009. The reception was held at their farm in Suffolk.
They have a daughter named Molly Rose who was born on August 4th, 2010.
Television series
- A Farmer's Life for Me (2011)
- Museum of Life (BBC 2010)
- Jimmy's Global Harvest (BBC 2010)
- Jimmy's Food Factory (BBC 2009)
- Jimmy Doherty in Darwin's Garden (OU & BBC 2009)
- Jimmy's GM Food Fight (BBC Horizon 2008)
- Jimmy and the Wild Honey Hunters (BBC 2008)
- Jimmy's Farming Heroes (BBC 2008)
- Crisis on Jimmy's Farm (BBC 2007)
- Jimmy's Farm Diaries (BBC 2007)
- Jimmy's FarmJimmy's FarmJimmy's Farm was a documentary series, in 2002, made by Fresh One Productions for BBC Two in the UK. It featured the story of Jimmy Doherty setting up the Essex Pig Company, a rare breeds piggery on the outskirts of Ipswich in Suffolk...
(BBC 2004–2006) - Richard & JudyRichard & JudyRichard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
(Channel 4 2004 & 2006) - Back on Jimmy's Farm (BBC 2004)