Jimmy Doherty

Areas of Interest

Media

Honorary Award

Honorary Doctor of Science, 2008

Biography

Jimmy was a 28 year-old from Essex when he first came to widespread attention as the subject of the BBC documentary Jimmy's Farm, a series which put both he and his partner Michaela firmly into the media spotlight, surviving crisis after crisis on their idyllic Suffolk farm.

Born in east London, he moved to rural Essex when he was very young, which is where his love of nature began. He took a degree in zoology at the University of East London; and then went to Coventry to study for four years for a PhD in entomology, the study of all things 'creepy crawly'. With no experience of pig farming, he started Jimmy's Farm, giving up this life in academia to work on a rare breed pig farm. His mission was then, as it is now, to get both town and country folk more involved with the land around them and the food that is put on their plate.

In 2008, we have seen Jimmy in his new and timely series, Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes. In this role, he has taken viewers on a revealing and entertaining journey around the UK to discover and celebrate the best of Britain's farming industry. It is his fascination with insects and animals which makes Jimmy Doherty such an icon, coupled with his steely determination to help British farmers get recognition for the extremely important work they do.

In 2008, Jimmy Doherty was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Science.

Citation

"We at Anglia Ruskin University think that Jimmy Doherty is a cult hero. Although we know that he will laugh to hear himself described in this way.

Now, possibly, equally as popular as his long-time chef friend Jamie Oliver, he's continuing to capture the hearts and minds of the average person who would like to live a better, healthier, more back-to-nature life.

Jimmy was a 28 year-old from Essex when he first came to widespread attention as the subject of the BBC documentary Jimmy's Farm, a series which put both he and his 'lovely' partner Michaela firmly into the media spotlight surviving crisis after crisis on their idyllic Suffolk farm. Before Jimmy's Farm, Jimmy Doherty had spent his time studying insects. Then, with no experience of pig farming, he started Jimmy's Farm and everyone followed his daily challenge of working a rare breed pig farm.

Born in east London, he moved with his parents to rural Essex when he was very young which his where his 'love of nature' began. After completing his A Levels, he took a degree in zoology at the University of East London; and then went to Coventry to study for four years for a PhD in entomology, the study of all things 'creepy crawly'.

He gave up this life in academia to start Jimmy's Farm as he wanted to swap a life with a microscope for a life 'outside'. His mission was then, as it is now, to get both town and country folk more involved with the land around them and the food that is put on their plate. When he is not giving his chutney, crumble, and cordial recipes to his adoring public, he is variously giving them tips on how to keep chickens, grow their own salads, or whittle sticks. In essence, he is keen that we all get a taste of what he would describe as 'the good life'.

In 2008, we have seen Jimmy in his new and timely series, Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes. In this new and slightly different role, Jimmy, now 31, has taken viewers on a revealing and entertaining journey around the UK to discover and celebrate the best of one of Britain's most diverse industries - farming. From the highlands of Scotland to Northern Ireland, Wales and across England, Jimmy finds out what is happening to UK farming at a time when the future of the industry has never been so under scrutiny. He looks at whether farmers can deliver food people can trust at a price they can afford, and how they are responding to the constraints of 21st century farming.

On this latest journey he is seen meeting innovators and forward-thinkers. He visited and interviewed some of the most interesting people in farming spanning those with high-tech agribusiness, to organic and remote family farmers. As he went, he encouraged young people, when he could find them, who were interested in pursuing farming as a career. As Jimmy explains, it makes a change to find teenagers who don't want to be footballers or web designers!

To this day, Jimmy is still shocked at being labelled the 'celebrity pig farmer'. He much prefers to be hands-on at the farm chasing chickens and thinking up new things to do while looking after the team of 15 dedicated staff who now work for him. One of his most recent projects has been to plant and develop a new butterfly house, a polytunnel full of beautiful tropical butterflies, designed especially for the children who visit the farm. All very normal for a boy who has been obsessed with butterflies since his own childhood.

It is his fascination with insects and animals which we applaud today, coupled with his determination to help British farmers get recognition for the important work they do. We are here to celebrate the fact that Jimmy's time in academia, studying living creatures, helped to create one of the foremost characters in the UK for delivering change in terms of animals, food and healthy food production.

Jimmy Doherty, I hereby invite the Vice Chancellor to confer upon you the award of Honorary Doctor of Honorary Doctor of Science."