Jimmy Doherty first graced our telly screens over two decades ago, featuring in his best mate Jamie Oliver's cooking programmes, however, he is returning to screens on Sunday evening (July 20) with his new Channel 4 show Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bear Rescue.
Having trained as a pig farmer, he took the reins of his own farm and established the Essex Pig Company, which became the focus of the popular TV documentary, Jimmy's Farm.
These days, Jimmy juggles his farming duties with his television career, and this weekend marks the launch of a new show, Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bear Rescue.
The programme follows Jimmy at his Suffolk farm and wildlife refuge, where he welcomes some homeless polar bears, a pack of wolves, and two brown bears looking for their forever homes.
All of the action is filmed on his sprawling 70-acre family farm. He shares this idyllic setting with his telly producer wife Michaela Furney and their four daughters, not to mention a host of pets, including polar bears. Let's delve into the life of 50 year old Jimmy on his beloved farm, reports Essex Live.
Early Years
Born in Ilford before relocating to Essex at just three years old, Jimmy struck up a lifelong friendship with a young Jamie Oliver during their primary school days.
His passion for animals and wildlife was evident from an early age, and by 13, he was working in the tropical butterfly house at Mole Hall Wildlife Park in Saffron Walden, caring for a diverse range of creatures from otters to chimpanzees.
After studying animal biology at university and serving five years in the Royal Corps of Signals, Jimmy pursued his dream of becoming a pig farmer.
Today, he proudly runs his own farm and the successful Essex Pig Company.
TV star wife
Jimmy's wife, TV producer Michaela Furney, initially crossed paths with him while working as a runner on Jamie Oliver's cooking show, 'Jamie's Kitchen', where she met him in 2002 during a shoot at the Cumbrian farm he was employed at.
Michaela eventually chose to leave her bustling London career behind to join Jimmy on the farm.
In a past interview with MailOnline, she shared: "One of the biggest things was giving up my career; I was very focused and it was a good lifestyle. But it was my decision: Jim didn't put any pressure on me."
Although she stepped away from TV production, Michaela found herself in front of the camera for the documentary series 'Jimmy's Farm', despite initial reservations about the intrusive nature of filming.
"We're just normal people and the attention can be scary and hurtful," she confessed. "I was still commuting when they began filming, so at first I thought I wouldn't be involved – that was how Jim persuaded me."
She also mentioned: "They used lots of shots of me crying, but it was just in frustration at all the setbacks, the worst of which were the fights with the council over planning permission [for outbuildings and, retrospectively, the shop]. I don't cry that often – they just seemed to catch it on camera every time I did."
The couple tied the knot in August 2009 with a farm-held reception and have since become parents to four daughters.
Jamie Oliver friendship
Since their days at primary school, Jimmy and Jamie have been inseparable mates, co-hosting TV programmes like 'Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast' and embarking on various joint ventures – seemingly without ever having a major fallout, save for the occasional tiff during TV challenges.
It was actually Jimmy who played cupid for Jamie, introducing him to his future wife Jools when they were just 18.
Recalling the moment in an interview with MailOnline, Jimmy reminisced: "We went on a double date to the cinema in Cambridge – me, Jamie, Juliette and Sue Stump. He had a Fiesta with big fog lights and an exhaust like a tractor on it. We were going over a hill listening to Bob Marley, Buffalo Soldier. We're all singing, the guy braked in front of us and Jamie smashed into him and knocked his front lights out."
Their profound connection shone through when Jamie dedicated his book, 'Jamie Cooks Italy', to Jimmy's late father. Reflecting on the touching gesture, Jimmy shared: "There's a picture of him at my brother's wedding on there. Jamie gave me the book and I'm used to my dad being dead, but sorrow is a weird thing. I couldn't control it, I had to go away on my own. Then I came back and said thank you and it started again. But luckily I had an eye infection so I could blame it on that. Pink eyes, weeping."
At the farm
Jimmy's farm in Suffolk, which sets the backdrop for 'Jimmy and Shivi's Farmhouse Breakfast', stands out with its collection of exotic animals, including polar bears and monkeys – it's even touted as Europe's largest polar bear reserve on its website.
In a chat with the Express, he shared some behind-the-scenes antics: "And then you've got the wildlife park where we've got polar bears, we've got monkeys, we've got our anteaters. So we do different activities with them.
"One morning we played hide and seek with our monkeys. We hid all their food around and they had to go and find it. And I remember that for the camera system, it took him about 15 minutes trying to get the GoPro in this special box and tighten it all up. It took the monkey about five seconds to undo or and grab the camera, bite it and run off with it. But we've got some brilliant monkey selfies!".
Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bear Rescue is on Channel 4 on Sunday, July 20
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