Julia Bradbury reveals ‘deeply emotional’ moment of new TV show that sees her return to childhood home

JULIA Bradbury will return to her childhood home in a "deeply emotional" moment of her new TV show after battling cancer.

The 52-year-old presenter underwent life-saving surgery to remove a 6cm tumour from her left breast following her diagnosis in October 2021.

Countryfile star Julia, who co-presented the BBC One programme from 2004 to 2014, initially declined a host of reality TV show offers, adding that it was too “raw” and “early” to contemplate a return to TV presenting.

But the star has recently taken the leap and is back in front of the camera, hosting a yet-to-be-titled walking programme recorded in Ireland, the country she was born.

Julia, who has fronted walking series including Coast to Coast, Canal Walks, South Africa Walks, Icelandic Walk and German Wanderlust, says: “This is my first big series since my diagnosis and the production company has been amazing.

"They've been really great with the schedule and let me step back into [filming] in a gentle way.

"We filmed a little bit last year and we're soon filming the remaining blocks”. 

During her journey exploring Ireland’s “landscape and countryside”, Julia interviews experts in wellness including a neuroscientist who “believes in the science of walking” plus a globally-renowned Irish breathwork teacher.

And she predicts that filming the final segment of the series will be deeply moving.

She says: “I was born in Dublin and we’re going to return to the house that I was born. That will be really emotional.”

Julia documented her journey undergoing a lifesaving mastectomy in ITV's Breast Cancer And Me and has since reevaluated her lifestyle to lower the risk of cancer recurring.

As well as stepping up her fitness routine, cutting out alcohol and switching to a mostly plant-based diet, Julia - who is now in remission - meditates and takes daily stress-busting walks in nature.

She says: “One of the best ways that you can alleviate stress is to spend time in nature, with trees, in green spaces.

"I've been doing that all my life, but I [used to] live a very hectic lifestyle and I wasn't necessarily using those things as a healing tool.

"I loved them and enjoyed them but I was squeezing them into everything else that I was doing. Now, I recognise them as tools in my health toolkit. I build them into my everyday life.”

She's also calling for camping to be made available on the NHS to tackle depression, anxiety and stress.

The BBC Countryfile host spoke out as it was revealed this week that 97% of campers say happiness is their top motivator for going on an outdoorsy holiday and campers are 23% less anxious than non campers.

The figures from The Outjoyment report, commissioned by The Camping and Caravanning Club, come at a time when depression is one of Britain’s most prevalent mental health disorders, affecting around 1 in 6 adults in the UK.

Julia adds: “There are some doctors in certain experiments around the UK who are prescribing time outdoors and walking and we know that walking during daylight hours for depression, to help ease these kinds of ailments. I'm passionate that camping should be available on the NHS too.”

As a child, East Midlands-born Julia camped in the Derbyshire Dales with her parents Chrissi and Michael and now enjoys holidays in the great outdoors with her property developer husband Gerard Cunningham and their son Zephyr, 11, and twin girls Zena and Xanthe, 7.

Speaking at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome show, she adds: “In the morning, when you unzip that tent, or when you open up your motorhome door or your caravan door, and the first thing you do is get that beautiful morning light into your eyes and brain, you are starting the day off in the best possible way.

“I religiously make sure that I get daylight into my eyes first thing every morning.

"This is well-discussed and spoken about in the health and wellness world with many scientists or doctors. Get morning daylight into your eyes.

"There’s a light receptor at the back of your eyes, which connects to the brain and kickstarts the production of feel-good hormone serotonin.

"Daylight in your eyes connects to the brain, [which] transfers that information to the gut and the gut starts producing serotonin.”

"Camping connects you to your family and you've got to use your human resources. It’s not just the flicking of a switch or clicking ‘Yes’, then getting something delivered.

"You've got to get back to thinking about things and and communicating with your partner, children or friends in a different way to get things done. These things are deeply human.”

• Julia Bradbury is speaking at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome show, at the NEC Birmingham from February 21 to 26 February. Visit  for tickets and more information