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A Countryfile presenter battling cancer has revealed he experienced "suicidal thoughts" before becoming overwhelmed with emotion and leaving the interview. BBC host Sean Fletcher issued a warning to audiences about the distressing content to come as fellow presenter Charlotte Smith delved into the contentious matter of inheritance tax affecting the farming community. The Government unveiled what it described as the "biggest inheritance tax for farmers in decades" in October 2024, a move that threatens to be "disastrous for family farms". Read more Jeremy Clarkson issues worrying Clarkson's Farm update Charlotte poignantly revealed that Countryfile had been liaising with rural mental health organisations, which disclosed that two farmers had died by suicide, with "both families cited inheritance tax as a contributing factor". The programme then introduced audiences to fifth-generation farmer Charles Rees, who received a cancer diagnosis in February, reports the Mirror . Tom, his son who manages the farm, is potentially facing an inheritance tax demand of £1 million. Speaking candidly with Charlotte, Charles shared: "I've been here for 70 years, it's everything I've ever done." Yet the conversation took a distressing direction when she enquired about how the looming tax burden had affected the family. Fighting back tears, he responded: "It's been hard for me lying in the hospital bed thinking, how am I going to save my farm? And trying to have all this treatment to save my life. "And sometimes I think, what the hell are you doing it all for? Because if something don't change by next April, I'd probably top myself." Charlotte pressed: "You've really thought about that? Because of the farm?", to which he confirmed: "Oh God yes." The presenter proceeded to enquire about how his wife Ruth was managing when Charles began blinking back tears and excused himself as he rose from the table. Ruth attempted to respond to Charlotte's question but found herself in tears: "I find it very sad, when he was diagnosed, he generally said to me, one day he said, 'To be honest with you, for the farm point of view, I'd be better off if I didn't have the treatment.'". Fortunately, since Countryfile spoke with Charles and Ruth, he has had surgery and is now recovering. Despite this, viewers of the programme felt compelled to share their distress on X, previously known as Twitter, regarding the distressing scenes. One person shared: "Didn't expect to have tears watching #Countryfile. My heart goes out to Charles and his family." Someone else commented: "Just watching these poor farmers, broken and in bits by the #inheritancetax just wrong!", whilst a third chimed in: "Labour hates our poor farmers who are just trying to survive."
