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Matt Baker ‘feels emotional’ as he returns to The One Show exactly one year after quitting and reunites with Alex Jones
MATT Baker made an emotional return to The One Show tonight, a year to the day since he hosted his last ever episode.
The presenter appeared via videolink from his farm in Durham where he was feeding some goats.
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Back in the studio, pregnant host Alex Jones said: "It's a year to the day since he left the One Show. Let's welcome back Matt Baker.
"How are you feeling?"
Having swapped the city for the countryside, the smiley and relaxed star replied: "Do you know what, I feel quite emotional, if I'm honest with you.
"Hearing your voice over TalkBack, hearing the music at the start, and just the general vibe.
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"It's incredible that I did say goodbye on a laptop propped up on an ironing board a year ago today, and now I get to welcome you all to the Durham Dales because that's the reason I'm on talking tonight.
"I've got this new show starting and it's based all about our family farm and the situation I found myself in not long after lockdown."
Matt decided to step down from his role after nine years at the helm.
The 42-year-old said at the time that he was looking forward to "putting his kids to bed" after presenting the weekday evening chat show with Alex.
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A teary-eyed Matt said: "At this time of year, I like to take stock and reflect. The One Show has been a massive part of my life for almost a decade now and I have loved every second of being a part of it. But I am going to be leaving this green sofa in the spring.
"It's time to give someone else the opportunity to see how big hearted you, our One Show viewers, really are.
"It's something I get to witness every year. You help to change the lives of so many vulnerable youngsters for Children In Need.
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"All that support you show us, you will never really understand how much that means to me.
"And so, I'd like to thank you, and I'd like to pay a huge tribute to those who have written in over the last nine years.
"Of course, I'd like to thank Alex [Jones], who I've shared the sofa with all these years. And the teams of people who work on this show all around the UK.
"The ones you don't get to see, the researchers, the producers, the studio crew, everyone who makes this show feel like a massive, massive family.
"I'm going to miss you all and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."
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Before The One Show, Matt worked as a presenter on Blue Peter, from 1999 to 2006.
He starred alongside Konnie Huq, Zoe Salmon and Gethin Jones and won two Baftas for Best Children's Presenter two years in a row as well as a Royal Television Society award.
Matt joined the Countryfile team, first as a presenter for Countryfile Summer Diaries on weekday mornings on BBC One before co-presenting the evening show.
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He also hosted the first series of Secret Britain with Julia Bradbury and One Man and His Dog with Kate Humble.
The TV favourite is married to physiotherapist Nicola Mooney - his childhood sweetheart.
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