Tom Heap has been on our screens presenting on for years now, but who is he and where did he get his start?
Who is Tom Heap?
Tom is a journalist, broadcaster and author – most notably, he is the investigations reporter for Countryfile where he reports on rural affairs and environmental issues. He has a background in news and a great nose for a story and has spent 25 years reporting on science and the environment.
Where did Tom Heap grow up?
Tom grew up in Rutland, with his parents and two sisters. His father was a polar scientist who served with the Polar Regions section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and devoted his life to protecting Antarctica from exploitation.
How old is Tom Heap?
Tom is 59 years old and was born on 3rd January 1966 in Hertford, Hertfordshire.
Where does he live?
Tom lives in rural Warwickshire with his wife, who he married in 1992. He has three children.
How did Tom Heap start his career?
Tom began his career as a sound mixer for Sky News in 1989 when the channel first launched, before joining a journalism trainee scheme with BBC News, where he worked on the Today programme, the BBC News 24 channel and Panorama.
Over time he developed a special interest in rural affairs, science and the environment and eventually gained a newly created role as the Rural Affairs Correspondent for BBC News.
What shows does Tom Heap present?
Today, Tom continues to report for Countryfile on BBC One and Costing the Earth on Radio 4. He left The Climate Show in 2024.
In 2003 Tom presented live from the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest to mark the 50th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary's successful summit of the mountain.
Where is Countryfile visiting this week and what time is it on BBC1?
One of the BBC's most popular programmes, Countryfile airs weekly on BBC One and reports on rural, agricultural and environmental issues in the UK.
When did he join the Countryfile team?
Tom joined the Countryfile team in 2012 and now presents the investigations segment of the show. In 2014 he interviewed Princess Anne for Countryfile about badger culling.
What is Tom's family history?
In an episode of Countryfile that marked the centenary of the beginning of the First World War, it was revealed that Tom is the great nephew of Olympic medallist rower and soldier, Thomas Gillespie, who was killed in action in France, 1914, aged 21.
Thomas Gillespie's brother Alexander, who was also killed in the First World War, wrote to his family about a vision for a 'sacred path' running the length of the front. Tom is now a founding trustee of the Western Front Way, which seeks to realise this dream.
The Western Front Way would be a 470 mile route from Switzerland to Belgium that marks the site of the front during the First World War. The project aims to 'educate, commemorate and be healthy'. Its motto is 'walk with us, remember us'.
What are his hobbies and interests?
When he’s not working, Tom enjoys hiking, cycling, chopping wood, growing chillies, and relaxing with a good film.
Tom learnt to abseil at school as part of his CCF cadet training and also got his bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.
Check out our guides to some of your other favourite Countryfile presenters, including Matt Baker, Anita Rani, John Craven, Sean Fletcher, Adam Henson and Helen Skelton