The Yorkshire Vet wouldn’t be the same without its cast of familiar faces, including Britain’s oldest farming couple, Jean and Steve Green.
The married pair have been a staple on the Channel 5 show since its inception in 2015, with the 95-year-old admitting that it “didn’t catch on at first” but then “suddenly took off”
Mike Sinclair, The Yorkshire Vet series editor, said: “Our viewers absolutely adore the Greens. They go down a storm whenever they are featured in an episode.
“They’re loved because they’re no-nonsense, traditional Yorkshire farmers, who somehow seem totally unaffected by the modern world.”
“They were clients of Alf Wight, the original Yorkshire Vet better known as James Herriot, and they have a special friendship with Alf’s former protege Peter Wright, which really resonates with people.”
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Steve and Jean, 72, reside together at Stoneybrough Farm in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, where they manage a herd of dairy calves and spend their days tending to the animals and their land.
Offering a glimpse into their daily lives, Jean told The Yorkshire Post: “Farming is not what it used to be and is becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet.
“We like the simple life, we get up early and have breakfast then go out and feed the baby animals we have. We come in and light the fire with wood to have a bath.
“We’re always busy as we have about 50 mouths to feed, including 14 and a half cats!”
The couple have been tending their farm side by side since tying the knot over four decades ago.
Jean’s origin story is quite unique, having been born in a wooden hut close to Steve’s father Stephen’s farm. This was when her future husband had enlisted in the Army and was housed in temporary accommodation.
It wasn’t until Jean hit 27 however, that the wheels of fate began to turn – thanks to one of her brothers, who was employed by the Greens, sharing that Steve, 23 years her elder, was keen on asking her out.
Their romance quickly blossomed into marriage, with vows exchanged at St Mary’s Church in Thirsk just three months post-meeting, soon followed by the birth of their daughter Sarah.
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Speaking out on their union, Jean quipped: “Everybody said it wouldn’t last. The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach… We are happy-go-lucky, and we love each other.”
Fast forward to 2020, and they reaffirmed their love, this time with The Yorkshire Vet’s cameras rolling.
To his adored wife, Steve professed during the vow renewal: “Ever since we met 40 years ago, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world. You mean everything.”
While an avid animal enthusiast with dogs, donkeys and a whopping 18 cats, Jean was “petrified” of cows and admitted “I don’t know why” to The Yorkshire Post.
Yet, her fear didn’t deter her committed partnership with Steve on the farm, a venture that has spanned a lifetime together.