Matt Baker has given fans a rare and honest peek into life behind the scenes, revealing that his household is currently knee-deep in revision stress as both his kids take on major school exams. The Countryfile presenter, who shares two children — Luke and Molly — with wife Nicola Mooney, spoke candidly about the pressure at home during his recent appearance on Sunday Brunch. While chatting about his latest show Our Dream Farm, Matt opened up about the not-so-glamorous side of parenting right now.
“We’re going through GCSEs and A-levels at the moment in our house, a double whammy,” he said, clearly feeling the weight of it all. His daughter is in the middle of prepping for her GCSEs, and Matt has fully embraced the role of hands-on dad — flashcards and all. “She’s using a flashcards system, so I’m the quiz master,” he explained with a smile, reported the Express.
When host Simon Rimmer asked if he was taking a tough-love or laid-back approach to the revision madness, Matt said he was doing his best to stay calm: “I’m trying to remain as chill as possible because there’s still a bit of time to go. It’s on the horizon, and it’s getting closer.”
But that doesn’t mean it’s not intense. Fellow host Tim Lovejoy admitted his own daughters were “really stressed” during exam season, something Matt could definitely relate to. “It is a stressful time,” he agreed. “It’s the biggest time for them in that part of their life. But I’m sure they’ll do alright. Whatever they do they work hard.”
Matt and his wife Nicola have kept their family life relatively private over the years, but his affection and respect for her is crystal clear. The couple met when they were teens, long before TV fame entered the picture, and they’ve been going strong ever since.
In a throwback interview with The Express back in 2011, Matt gushed about how grateful he was to have met Nicola before his career in television took off. “I’m so lucky that I met my wife Nicola before any of this telly lark started. I knew way back then she was the one, and I don’t think I could have done all this without her,” he shared.
The pair tied the knot in 2004 in Winston, Teesdale, and now, like many parents up and down the country, they’re doing their best to support their children through one of the most pressure-filled chapters of growing up.
And while Matt may be best known for his calm, collected presence on screen, at home he’s just like any other dad — trying to keep it light, stay supportive, and help his kids push through the stress one flashcard at a time.
