JULES Hudson from BBC’s Countryfile and Escape to the Country, will join the Ledbury Poetry Festival to share the poems that have meant the most to him on Saturday, June 29 at 2pm.

After initially briefly pursuing a career as an army officer, Hudson moved into TV production in 1996, focusing on historical programmes.

Working initially for Discovery Channel, he then moved to Channel 4’s Time Team, BBC 2’s Horizon, and three military history series for the BBC’s Richard Holmes. After becoming lead presenter on ITV Meridian’s The Making of England, and making Have I Been Here Before? with Phillip Schofield, he developed and produced the series Revival for ITV, which gained a Royal Television Society nomination.

Since 2007, he has been one of the main presenters on BBC’s Escape to the Country. He was the initial presenter on BBC One’s Britain’s Empty Homes, fronting the first series from January 2010 to February 2012. He presented the ten episodes of Defenders of the Sky for the History Channel H2 in 2015.

Hudson contributes regularly to Countryfile Magazine and to Homes & Gardens magazine. An article published in 2022 indicates that he is a “regular contributor to BBC Radio Wales”. He also authored the book “Walled Gardens”.

In August 1994 he graduated from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve, specifically in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. According to a June 2022 report, he was “assigned to 77 Brigade – a combined Regular and Reserve unit”.

Ledbury Poetry Festival will take place June 28 – July 7

Ledbury Poetry Festival is an inclusive, international and inspirational celebration of poetry and spoken word over ten busy days, live in Ledbury and online to the world.

Surrounded by orchards and hills, poets from all over the world gather to read, debate and share their work with readers and curious audiences. Award-winning poets stand alongside upcoming talents in a thrillingly electric mix of events and workshops, music, exhibitions and bike rides.

It has become a key feature in Ledbury life attracting poetic talent from across the UK and beyond. There is an abundance of exciting events taking place during the Festival’s 10 days.

For more information visit ledburypoetry.org.uk