Who inspired your love of the countryside?

Julia Bradbury: It has to be my dad. He’s a Derbyshire lad, born in the Peak District. His love for the hills has been passed on to me.
Matt Baker: My mum. The countryside is in her blood. I was brought up on a farm, so she lives and breathes the country.

What’s your earliest memory of the countryside?

JB: Walking with my dad in the Peak District. He made me stride out and I tried desperately to keep up with him.
MB: There was one tree I loved when I was a kid. I used to sit up there for hours, collecting all kinds of treasures and storing them in its branches.

If you could take anyone on a country walk, who would it be?

JB: Oscar Wilde, because he was a great wit and a snappy dresser. Of course, if Daniel Craig wanted to take up hiking I’d happily show him the ropes.
MB: It would have to be Springwatch’s Simon King.
I find him fascinating. I’d love to take him on a walk in the woods around our farm, so he can point out all the wildlife that I don’t know about.

What is your favourite countrypub lunch?

JB: At the end of a walk I love a pint of cider. It feels wrong to end a day in the countryside without a pint. Even better if it’s accompanying a good chicken and mushroom pie.
MB: Beef, Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings. Oh, and gravy, plenty of gravy. No doubt about it, gravy is important.

What is your favourite countryside smell?

JB: Tree bark in a dark wood. I know I should choose a beautiful flower, but the smell of a flower
is never guaranteed, whereas you’re always guaranteed the smell of bark.
MB: I love it when we break open bales of hay in winter and the smell whips you back six months to the summer.

If you could be a British animal or bird, what would you be?

JB: I’d be an otter. They’re svelte, nimble, sleek, clever and foxy. They also live on the edge.
MB: I wouldn’t want to be something that was likely to be eaten by something else. Being a hang gliding world record holder I do enjoy soaring above the hills, so it would have to be a red kite. They get the best of both worlds, as they nose around towns before swooping down to farmland.

What is the most underrated thing about the countryside?

JB: I honestly think walking is still underrated. We have all of this fantastic land on our doorstep. Alfred Wainwright said there’s nothing like a walk to get rid of persistent worries and I can’t agree more.
MB: I believe that British farmers are underrated. People just take it
for granted that their food ends up on the table. When you know what goes into producing our grub, you appreciate the job that farmers do.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the countryside?

JB: There’s a need to manage countryside accessibility and conservation. There’s clearly a conflict of interest, because while it’s vital to expose people to wild places, we also need to keep the countryside fresh and alive.
MB: I think tourism is going to be a big issue. With the way the economy is, everyone will want to explore the countryside and I just hope it’s ready for it.

What’s the most exciting thing about joining Countryfile?

JB: This is a dream job and I can’t wait to explore the most amazing corners of our country. To travel the length and breadth of rural Britain every week is such a privilege.
MB: You don’t usually get the chance to join a second national institution, but after eight years on Blue Peter this is a real honour. John Craven has presented Countryfile for 20 years and I want to follow in his footsteps. I want to be there on the show’s 40th anniversary with my shock of grey hair.

Are you looking forward to visiting any particular locations?

JB: I hope that we spend plenty of time in Scotland because I love walking there. And Wales for that matter – I hope to crack some more rugged terrain there. The Lakes are close to my heart so I’m really excited that our first show comes from Cumbria.
MB: I also present the Radio 4 programme Open Country, which is about the people that shape the landscape. The countryside I know and love is all about community, so I hope to get out there and meet as many people who are as passionate about the countryside as I am.

From Sunday 5th April Countryfile will be moving to Sunday evening, starting at 7.00pm on BBC One. Julia and Matt also join the magazine team with exclusive columns as of issue 20, on sale Tuesday 7th April.