Strictly star and Countryfile host team up for brand new Channel 5 series
STRICTLY star JJ Chalmers and Countryfile’s Julia Bradbury are ditching the BBC as they team up for a new Channel 5 documentary series.
The pair will be working together on an unprecedented series about the Royal Navy.
37-year-old former Strictly star JJ – who recently revealed he’s had to turn down a place on Dancing On Ice due to health concerns – will team up with Countryfile presenter Julia, 54, for the series titled Life in the Royal Navy.
The duo will be given first class access to all the behind-the-scenes goings on as they lift the curtain on what life is really like in today’s Royal Navy.
Over the course of three episodes, JJ and Julia will check out the UK’s biggest and most powerful warship, meet Royal Marine Commando recruits in the thick of training and discover how crucial historical events shaped our oldest fighting force; from the sinking of Tudor warship the Mary Rose to the Falklands conflict.
In the dramatic first episode, which premieres on Channel 5 on Tuesday 13 August, breast cancer-survivor Julia climbs aboard the newest, biggest and most powerful ship in the Royal Navy’s fleet – the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.
The Prince of Wales’ is home to eight F-35 jets, and Julia gets first-hand experience of just how powerful they are on the flight deck – one of the most dangerous places to work anywhere in the world – as they take off just metres away from her.
The ship is leading the biggest exercise since the cold war, and Julia gets a taste of what life is like on board for its 1400 crew.
From launching jets to chopping veg, Julia also heads below decks to the galley, where she discovers what’s involved in cooking a Sunday roast for nearly a thousand hungry sailors.
Meanwhile, former Royal Marine JJ heads back to familiar territory; the Marine Commando Training Centre in Devon. Here, ordinary civilians are turned into elite commandos, and it’s where JJ completed his training.
Now it’s his turn to watch as a group of new recruits are pushed to the limit.
Alongside working on the Royal Navy series, JJ is busy fronting the BBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games this summer, as well as the Paralympics for Channel 4 later this year.
However, in order to work on both, JJ had had to temporarily step away from another role, with the BBC confirming that production on his series Travelling Auctioneers has been put on hold until October.
JJ made a statement about the scheduling change. Speaking exclusively told The Sun: “We have been filming The Travelling Auctioneers again, and it’s been great fun.
“It is going to go on pause as obviously I need to go to the Olympics and Paralympics and then go back and do more of that in October.”
JJ replaced The Repair Shop star Will Kirk as the programme’s leading host in 2023 and he will reunite with co-hosts Christina Trevanion and Izzie Balmer when filming resumes in October.
Countryfile presenting team
Agricultural programme Countryfile launched on the BBC in 1988. In its long history, the show's seen several presenters come and go. Let's take a look at the current line-up.
- John Craven: The longest-serving presenter, having debuted in 1989, John is also known for his work on Newsround from 1972–1989.
- Adam Henson: Adam, who comes from a farming family, joined the presenting team in 2001. His other media work includes BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today and BBC Two’s Lambing Live.
- Matt Baker: Having joined the line-up in 2009, Matt also presented The One Show alongside Alex Jones from 2011 to 2020. Before that, he hosted Blue Peter from 1999 to 2006.
- Tom Heap: Tom joined Countryfile in 2009 and in April 2012, he took over the investigative reporter role from John Craven. He has also presented The Climate Show on Sky News.
- Helen Skelton: Another former Blue Peter presenter, she hosted the beloved children’s programme from 2008 to 2013. Helen joined the Countryfile team in 2014 and has competed in Strictly Come Dancing.
- Anita Rani: Anita was added to Countryfile in 2015 and has presented other programmes for the Beeb including The Refugee Camp: Our Desert Home, among others.
- Sean Fletcher: Newsreader and presenter Sean joined Countryfile in 2015. He is also known for Good Morning Britain, Songs of Praise and BBC Breakfast.
Life in the Royal Navy begins on Channel 5 on 13 August at 9:00pm.