This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (June 2012) |
Julian Harold Hudson[1] (born 9 January 1970) is an English archaeologist, television producer and presenter, best known for presenting the BBC series Escape to the Country. He also frequently presents sections of the environmental documentary series Countryfile on BBC One.
Jules Hudson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Julian Harold Hudson [1] 9 January 1970 Colchester, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
| Education | Colchester High School, Essex Ipswich School, Suffolk |
| Alma mater | Lampeter University Durham University |
| Occupations |
|
| Website | https://www.juleshudson.co.uk |
Early life
editHudson was born in Colchester, in Essex, in 1970. He is the son of Pam and Cliff Hudson. He was brought up in a Bed and Breakfast hotel run by his mother for 40 years, in the former village of Lexden, now a suburb of Colchester. His father was a mechanical engineer and a technical director at E H Bentall & Co in the large village of Heybridge in the Maldon District of Essex, frequently working abroad.[2]
Hudson attributes his conversational style of presentation to his experience from a young age of meeting people at the bed and breakfast from many different backgrounds and nationalities.[2]
Education
editHudson was educated at two independent schools: at Colchester High School and later Ipswich School, in the county town of Ipswich in Suffolk, where he boarded from the age of eleven. After school, he studied Field Archaeology at Lampeter University (renamed the University of Wales, Lampeter in 1996), in the town of Lampeter in Ceredigion in south west Wales, followed by military training at RMA Sandhurst in Berkshire. He later took a master's degree in Archaeology at Durham University.[2] He attended Durham from 1994-1995 and was a member of University College.[3]
Life and career
editAfter initially briefly pursuing a career as an army officer, Hudson moved into TV production in 1996, focusing on historical programmes.[4]
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.[4] 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.[5][6]
Hudson contributes regularly to Countryfile Magazine and to Homes & Gardens magazine.[7] An article published in 2022 indicates that he is a "regular contributor to BBC Radio Wales".[8] He also authored the book "Walled Gardens".[9]
In August 1994 he graduated from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve,[10] 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".[11]
President, Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, (CPRW)
editIn 2015 Jules Hudson became President of CPRW, a Welsh national charity that aims to secure the protection and enhancement of the country's landscapes and environment. He has entered enthusiastically into work of the charity and in November 2015 re-launched the Best kept village competition for Montgomeryshire.[12] It is hoped that this will evolve into a competition covering all of Wales.[13]
Personal life
editHudson lives in Herefordshire with his wife Tania and son, Jack. The presenter says that he is a "keen countryman and craftsman" .... who "spends his spare time renovating his period home and garden in Herefordshire and rescuing old furniture".[14]
References
edit- ^ a b Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales confirms name and lists birthplace as Colchester. Publisher: General Register Office. Retrieved: 28 April 2021.
- ^ a b c Pat Parker (22 August 2015). "My 'Escape to the Country' dream" (PDF). EA Life. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ^ "EBulletin". Durham Newswire. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Jules Hudson". The Speakers Agency. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
- ^ "Defenders of the Sky: The Great British Airfield TV Series". IMDB. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ "AIRFIELDS: DEFENDERS OF THE SKY". Vimeo. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
Jules Hudson explores British airfields of the past,
- ^ "Jules Hudson". Champions, The Speakers' Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
Jules is perfect for public appearances, hosting or after dinner speaking
- ^ "Jules Hudson: A Life In Archaeology". Historic Cornwall. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ "Walled Gardens, Jules Hudson". Goodreads. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ "AJules Hudson's army career explored – Escape to the Country presenter is part of the Reserve!". GRV Media. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
I did come out the other end OK but most of my comrades were half my age.
- ^ "Lead, Follow, or Get Out the Way - Military Mantra That TV's Jules Hudson Lives". Forces.net. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ Montgomeryshire Branch CPRW
- ^ "News - the search begins for Montgomeryshire's best kept village – and it's not just about floral displays or immaculate lawns". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
- ^ "Escape to the Country: meet presenter Jules Hudson's wife Tania and son". Hello. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
The pair also share two Labradors, Teddy and Iolo.