Our Yorkshire Farm stars Amanda Owen and husband Clive battling to save 21-year marriage
YORKSHIRE Shepherdess TV star Amanda Owen and husband Clive are battling to save their 21-year marriage, The Sun can reveal.
The mum of nine, 47, has been spending nights away from the family home while her new book hails the virtues of domestic life.
It is understood the pair want to keep their problems under wraps ahead of publication day tomorrow.
Millions who watch their weekly rural dramas on Channel 5’s hit docuseries Our Yorkshire Farm will have had no idea about their secret marital pain.
Sources say Clive, 66, is “desperate” to repair their relationship while Amanda spends time away from the family home.
Last night a close family friend said: “It’s incredibly sad. Amanda and Clive are two hugely popular figures here in the Dales, and no one saw this coming.
“Clive loves Amanda to bits and adores her, and fears the marriage may be failing even though he desperately doesn’t want it to. He fears they will divorce.
“He reckons the image of them playing happy families is a load of rubbish. He thinks this will be the last series they film together, and now it’s about looking after the kids and putting them first.
Most read in Reality
“He wants them to stay together for Christmas and then, unfortunately for him, the decision is very much in Amanda’s hands. He will do as he’s told.”
The Sun first approached Amanda’s publicist on October 12, enquiring about a possible split — with her living away from the family home in Swaledale.
We were told: “Amanda and Clive have not parted ways and Amanda has not moved out of the family home.”
But on Monday night the former model was pictured at their nearby rental property, while Clive remained at the family residence.
A source added: “Their possible split has become the talk of the village and, with the couple having nine kids, not surprisingly talk has quickly spread through school channels. Obviously everyone around them hopes they can work things out, and 21 years of largely happy marriage won’t end up playing out in the divorce courts.”
News of the couple’s troubles comes three days after the star gave an interview to promote Celebrating The Seasons.
Clive wants them to stay together for Christmas and then, unfortunately for him, the decision is very much in Amanda’s hands.
The photo and recipe-filled book is promoted as Amanda “sharing funny and charming stories about life with her family and their many four-legged charges”.
Amanda was asked if she and Clive still fancied each other.
She replied: “Oh God! What kind of a question is that? But yes. I think he does, me. In fact, I know that.”
Yesterday Amanda, still wearing her wedding ring, filmed a live segment on ITV’s This Morning, cooking with three of her kids.
Our source went on: “The current situation is something of a PR nightmare.
Amanda’s publicity team are keen to toe the party line that all is well. Should they divorce, it’s hardly on brand.”
Amanda and Clive are parents to Raven, 20, Reuben, 17, Miles, 15, Edith, 12, Violet, ten, Sidney, nine, Annas, seven, Clemmie, five, and Nancy, four.
The pair shot to fame in 2011 after appearing on ITV series The Dales with Ade Edmondson. They were also featured on Julia Bradbury’s Coast to Coast, and New Lives In The Wild with Ben Fogle.
The best Sun exclusives
Amanda has also released a series of Yorkshire Shepherdess books, with the first out in 2014.
And in 2018 the couple got their own show, which has since become one of Channel 5’s biggest hits.
The couple, known as the “Kardashians of the Countryside”, have gained millions of fans glued to the goings-on at Ravenseat Farm. The family largely shun modern technology, encouraging their kids to play in the great outdoors.
However the latest series has been hit with drama, unexpected deaths and the effects of lockdown.
Earlier this year Amanda — who once described her romance with farmer Clive as “love at first sight” — was asked why she never posted photos of him online.
A viewer asked: “How come we never see photos of Clive? Time for him to have a makeover as well. He bloody earns it.” Amanda replied: “He hates social media and the online news stuff and doesn’t want to be on it. That’s his choice.”
Clive was previously married for 13 years — from which he has two grown-up children — but split in 1995 after meeting Amanda.
Last month his eldest, Rosie, a 34-year-old barmaid, spoke about their estranged relationship. She claimed their bond deteriorated after he met Amanda, despite being a bridesmaid at their wedding.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Amanda has also talked about how fame has changed family life with hundreds of people turning up in the Dales to see their farm. She said: “Before, I only had my sheep to answer to. Of course it’s invasive. People know where we live and they can arrive there — but that’s the unique selling point, that the farm is real.
“It’s a vicious cycle because if you’re writing about what’s going on, you can’t stop what’s going on. That’s the material.”
