'It was a big honour' - Suffolk dairy to appear on BBC's Countryfile tonight

Fen Farm Dairy in Bungay will be featured on tonight's show which focuses on the Norfolk and Suffolk border.

"We had one of the research team contact us a couple of months ago," said owner Jonny Crickmore, maker of the award winning Baron Bigod brie.

"They wanted to do a story in the Waveney Valley and they were looking for interesting businesses."

BBC filmed at the farm for five days for Countryfile (Image: Kat Mager)

Mr Crickmore said it was a surprise to be asked to join the show.

"I must admit it was the last thing in my mind when I had the call," said Mr Crickmore.

"It was obviously a big honour to be asked, I didn't expect to.

"They heard about our cheese.

"The presenter Charlotte Smith says it's one of her favourite cheeses and blames her Covid waistline on our cheese because she liked it so much.

"She was really excited to come here and feature our cheese. It is the product we are best known for.

"The video will be from the whole start to the finish of the process of cheesemaking."

It's been a tough year for the dairy which sell much of their produce to restaurants (Image: Kat Mager)

Crews were at the farm filming a few weeks ago. It took five days in total to film plus more time for researching.

All of that will be cut down into an eight minute piece.

Mr Crickmore said they were prepared should there be a small surge in interest following the programme.

"We are as prepared as you can be," said Mr Crickmore.

"A lot of people won't have heard of it."

The TV appearance comes at the end of a difficult year for the dairy which had struggled while restaurants were closed.

"It's been so nice to have the restaurants open again," said Mr Crickmore.

"It was such a big part of our business. We had to change our style of where we sell our cheese to over the past year and it's been challenging.

"So it's lovely getting back into the way we were.

"I'm just really happy we have such a great range of restaurants. It's lovely them being back open and buying our cheese again."

Mr Crickmore said he was looking forward to watching tonight's show.

"I can't wait ," he said. "An awful lot of time has gone into these few minutes so I am looking forward to them."