Amanda Owen has become one of Britain’s most beloved television personalities, captivating millions with her authentic portrayal of rural farming life in the Yorkshire Dales. Known affectionately as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Amanda’s journey from a young woman in Huddersfield to a bestselling author, television star, and mother of nine children has inspired countless people across the United Kingdom and beyond.
Early Life and Background
Amanda Jayne Owen was born Amanda Livingstone in September 1974 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, making her 51 years old as of October 2025. Growing up in the urban environment of Huddersfield, nothing about Amanda’s childhood suggested she would one day become one of Britain’s most famous shepherdesses. Her upbringing was conventional and town-based, far removed from the rugged farming life she would eventually embrace.
As a teenager and young woman, Amanda initially pursued a career in modeling. Standing at an impressive six feet two inches tall with striking brunette features, she seemed destined for success in the fashion industry. However, the reality of modeling work quickly disillusioned her. Instead of the glamorous photoshoots for Vogue and Cosmopolitan that she had dreamed about, Amanda found herself modeling cardigans and knitwear for catalogs, which she later described as reminiscent of Prince Diana’s 1980s style but without any of the excitement she had hoped for.
A pivotal moment came when Amanda had a particularly unpleasant experience with a photographer during a modeling assignment. This incident, combined with her growing dissatisfaction with the superficiality of the modeling world, prompted her to completely reassess her life direction.
The catalyst for Amanda’s dramatic life change came through a book. She stumbled upon a beautiful coffee table book filled with stunning photographs of hill shepherds, dramatic Yorkshire landscapes, and sheep farming in the Dales. The images resonated deeply with something within her, awakening a desire for a life connected to nature, the elements, and animals. She later explained that she wanted a job where she could feel the wind, rain, and sun on her face, where she could work with her hands and be at one with the natural world.
This realization led Amanda to make the bold decision to leave behind her modeling aspirations and urban lifestyle to pursue an entirely different path. At the age of 21, she enrolled in an NVQ course in agriculture, determined to learn the practical skills needed for farming life.
Journey Into Farming
Amanda’s agricultural education was hands-on and comprehensive. As part of her NVQ course, she undertook lambing work on various farms, casual work in livery yards, shifts at milking parlors, and time spent on small mixed farms working with cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. This diverse experience gave her a solid foundation in different aspects of farming life and confirmed her passion for this demanding career.
After completing her qualifications, Amanda worked as a freelance shepherdess, traveling between different farms and taking on contract work wherever it was needed. She also worked as a cow milker and even tried her hand as an alpaca shearer, gaining valuable experience and building her reputation as a capable and hardworking farmhand.
It was through her work as a contract shepherdess that Amanda’s life would change forever. In 1995 or 1996, when Amanda was just 21 years old, she found herself in need of a tup, which is farming terminology for a male sheep used for breeding. Through her farming contacts, she learned about Ravenseat Farm in Upper Swaledale, one of the most remote and beautiful locations in the Yorkshire Dales.
Meeting Clive Owen
The story of how Amanda met Clive Owen has become legendary among fans of their television shows. One evening, the tall, striking young woman simply knocked on the door of Ravenseat Farm, introducing herself to the man who would become her husband and the father of her nine children.
Clive Owen, who was 42 years old at the time, was living alone at the isolated 2,000-acre farm. Originally from Doncaster, Clive had caught the sheep farming bug at just eight years old and had pursued his dream of becoming a hill shepherd with single-minded determination. He had been previously married and had two children from that relationship, but was divorced and running Ravenseat by himself when Amanda appeared at his door.
Clive later recalled that first meeting on their television show Our Yorkshire Farm, saying he remembered this six-foot-something woman knocking on the door and being immediately taken with her, adding that you couldn’t not be struck by her presence. While Clive experienced something close to love at first sight, Amanda’s feelings developed more gradually.
Amanda had initially come simply to borrow a tup for her shepherding work, but she soon began helping out at Ravenseat Farm. The pair bonded over their shared passion for farming life and their common background of both coming from non-farming families who had independently chosen this challenging lifestyle. Amanda described it as a slow burn relationship, explaining that they became friends first before gradually developing romantic feelings.
Despite their 21-year age gap, which raised some eyebrows, Amanda and Clive found in each other kindred spirits who understood the demands and rewards of hill farming. Five years after that first meeting, in 2000, Amanda and Clive married, cementing their partnership both personally and professionally.
Life at Ravenseat Farm
Ravenseat Farm, located at the head of Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, is one of the most remote farms in England. The Grade II listed building sits at an elevation where harsh weather is common, winters are brutal, and the nearest town, Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria, is miles away. The farm encompasses approximately 2,000 acres of challenging hill country, perfect for the hardy Swaledale sheep that are the farm’s primary focus.
When Amanda first arrived at Ravenseat, the farmhouse was run down and neglected, having been occupied by a bachelor farmer for years. The house required significant renovation and restoration work, which Amanda gradually undertook while also managing the demands of farming and, soon enough, raising a growing family.
The farm has a rich history spanning over 1,000 years. A century ago, Ravenseat was the center of a small village with a pub, a chapel, and a population of over 150 people who worked the land and as tin miners. Today, the population at the top of Swaledale has dwindled to around 30 people, with Ravenseat itself being home only to the Owen family.
Life at Ravenseat follows the ancient rhythms of agricultural life, dictated by the seasons and the needs of the animals. The farm runs a substantial flock of Swaledale sheep, a hardy breed perfectly adapted to the harsh moorland conditions. Amanda and Clive’s daily routine involves checking on livestock, lambing during the spring season, hay making in summer, bringing sheep down from the moors in autumn, and ensuring all animals survive the brutal winter conditions.
Building a Family
After marrying in 2000, Amanda and Clive began building their family at a rapid pace. Their first child together, Raven, was born in 2001, followed by Reuben in 2003, Miles in 2006, Edith in 2008, Violet in 2010, Sidney in 2011, Annas in 2013, Clemmie in 2015, and finally Nancy in 2016. Including Clive’s two children from his previous marriage, this made Amanda stepmother and mother to eleven children in total.
Amanda’s approach to childbirth became almost as famous as her farming skills. Living two hours from the nearest hospital and experiencing rapid labors, Amanda gave birth to four of her children in what she calls “countryside labors,” essentially unplanned home births because midwives couldn’t reach Ravenseat in time. For her eighth child, Amanda made the deliberate choice to have a free birth, delivering the baby without any medical assistance and relying solely on her own experience and the knowledge she had gained from years of assisting animals in labor on the farm.
Raising nine children on a remote hill farm presented unique challenges. The children needed to be home-schooled at times due to the distance from schools and difficult winter travel conditions. Amanda instilled in all her children a strong work ethic, with even the youngest family members expected to help with farm chores appropriate to their age and abilities.
Amanda has always been clear that involving the children in farm work isn’t about breeding her own workforce but rather about teaching them responsibility, the value of hard work, and the importance of being part of something bigger than themselves. She believes these lessons are invaluable for their development as people, regardless of whether they choose to pursue farming careers themselves.
The oldest children have begun carving out their own paths. Reuben, in particular, has followed in his parents’ footsteps and now has his own Channel 5 television series, showcasing his skills and ambitions as a young farmer while also pursuing various business ventures.
Television Career
Amanda and Clive’s journey to television stardom began long before Our Yorkshire Farm made them household names. Their family was first featured in 2011 on an ITV series called The Dales with Ade Edmondson, which showcased rural life in Yorkshire. They also appeared on programs including Coast to Coast with Julia Bradbury and New Lives in the Wild with Ben Fogle.
The Ben Fogle program, produced by Channel 5’s production company, proved to be the gateway to their major breakthrough. The production company was so impressed by the Owen family that they approached Amanda and Clive about creating a full series focused entirely on their lives at Ravenseat.
Our Yorkshire Farm premiered in 2018 on Channel 5 and became an instant hit. Viewers were captivated by the authentic portrayal of farming life, the stunning Yorkshire Dales scenery, the challenges the family faced, and Amanda’s no-nonsense approach to both farming and parenting. The show provided an unfiltered look at the realities of hill farming: the physical demands, financial pressures, unpredictable weather, animal losses, and the constant work required to keep a remote farm operational.
Amanda’s natural charisma and articulate commentary made her the star of the show. Unlike many reality television personalities, Amanda never seemed to be performing for the cameras. Her authenticity, combined with her obvious competence as both a farmer and mother, resonated with audiences across demographic groups.
The show ran for multiple successful seasons, with viewing figures regularly exceeding two million per episode, exceptional numbers for Channel 5. The series won various awards and nominations, and Amanda became one of Britain’s most recognizable television personalities.
Amanda Owen as an Author
Parallel to her television success, Amanda established herself as a bestselling author. Her first book, The Yorkshire Shepherdess, published in 2014, told the story of her journey from Huddersfield model to Dales farmer. The book was a critical and commercial success, spending weeks on bestseller lists and introducing Amanda to readers who would become devoted fans.
She followed this with several more books, including A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess, Tales From the Farm by the Yorkshire Shepherdess, and Celebrating the Seasons with the Yorkshire Shepherdess. Each book provided insights into different aspects of farm life, seasonal changes, traditional recipes, and the challenges and joys of raising a large family in such a unique environment.
Amanda’s writing style is engaging, humorous, and honest. She doesn’t romanticize farming life but instead presents it authentically, including the hardships, frustrations, and occasional failures alongside the triumphs and beautiful moments. Her books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and have been translated into multiple languages.
The Marriage Breakdown
In June 2022, Amanda and Clive shocked fans by announcing their separation after 22 years of marriage. The announcement came via a joint statement on social media, in which they acknowledged that the decision hadn’t been easy but that they believed it was the right choice for their family’s future.
The statement emphasized that although they were no longer a couple, they would continue working together on the farm and co-parenting their children, with the happiness and wellbeing of their nine children remaining their number one priority. They thanked supporters and asked for privacy during what they described as a difficult time.
Rumors about problems in their marriage had circulated for months before the official announcement, with various media outlets speculating about tensions between the couple. The divorce proceedings proved complicated, as they involved not just the dissolution of a marriage but also the division of a working farm and business empire built on their joint brand.
The separation led to the cancellation of Our Yorkshire Farm, as Channel 5 decided not to continue the series following the couple’s split. This was a significant blow to fans who had followed the family’s journey for years and had come to feel invested in their lives.
However, both Amanda and Clive have continued their television careers separately. Reuben Owen received his own Channel 5 series focusing on his farming ventures and business projects. Amanda was given a new show on More 4 called Amanda Owen’s Real Farming Lives, which explores farming communities and agricultural issues across Britain.
Physical Appearance and Weight Loss
Throughout her television career, Amanda’s physical appearance has occasionally been the subject of media attention and public discussion. Standing at six feet two inches tall with a naturally athletic build developed through years of physically demanding farm work, Amanda has always had a strong, healthy physique appropriate for her lifestyle.
Various media outlets and social media discussions have occasionally referenced perceived changes in Amanda’s appearance over the years of filming Our Yorkshire Farm. However, it’s important to note that Amanda herself has not publicly discussed undertaking any specific weight loss program or dramatic transformation.
The physical demands of hill farming naturally keep Amanda extremely active. Her daily routine involves walking miles across moorland in all weather conditions, lifting heavy feed bags, helping with lambing, building and repairing stone walls, handling livestock, and countless other physically taxing tasks. This level of activity, sustained over decades, naturally contributes to maintaining fitness and body composition.
Any changes in Amanda’s appearance over the years likely reflect the normal fluctuations that occur in anyone’s body over time, particularly for a woman who has given birth to nine children and works in a physically demanding profession. The intense stress of running a farm, raising a large family, managing a television career, and going through a very public divorce would naturally affect anyone’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Amanda has always projected an image of someone comfortable in her own skin, focused more on capability and functionality than appearance. Her priorities clearly lie with the practical demands of farming and family rather than conforming to conventional beauty standards or pursuing cosmetic transformations.
Amanda Owen’s Legacy and Impact
Beyond the entertainment value of her television shows and books, Amanda Owen has had a significant cultural impact. She has inspired countless people, particularly women, to consider alternative lifestyles and careers. Her success as a female farmer in a traditionally male-dominated industry has challenged stereotypes and demonstrated that physical strength and farming competence aren’t gender-specific.
Amanda has also played an important role in raising awareness about the challenges facing hill farmers and rural communities. Through her platform, she has highlighted issues including agricultural economics, environmental stewardship, food security, rural isolation, and the preservation of traditional farming methods and heritage breeds.
Her emphasis on raising children with strong work ethics, practical skills, and connection to nature has resonated with parents concerned about screen time, urban disconnection from food sources, and the loss of traditional skills. Many viewers have cited Amanda as an inspiration for making changes in their own lives, whether that means pursuing farming careers, homesteading, or simply spending more time outdoors with their families.
Life After Divorce
As of October 2025, Amanda continues to live at Ravenseat Farm and manage her sheep flock, though the specifics of how she and Clive have divided their assets and responsibilities remain largely private. She remains active on social media, where she shares updates about farm life, her children, and her various projects.
Her television career continues with new programs that explore farming life beyond just her own family’s story. Her books continue to sell well, and she remains a sought-after speaker and public figure within agricultural circles.
The older children are becoming adults and making their own way in the world, with several showing interest in continuing farming careers. Reuben has become particularly prominent with his own television presence and business ventures.
Amanda’s resilience in the face of personal challenges, including the very public breakdown of her marriage, has only enhanced her reputation as a strong, capable woman who doesn’t let setbacks define her. She continues to work hard, care for her animals, raise her children, and share her unique perspective on rural life with audiences across Britain and beyond.
Amanda Owen’s life story represents one of the most remarkable personal transformations in recent British public life. From an urban teenager modeling knitwear in catalogs to one of Britain’s most famous and respected farmers, her journey demonstrates the power of following your passion regardless of how unconventional the path might be.
Her authenticity, work ethic, parenting philosophy, and farming expertise have inspired millions of viewers and readers. While her marriage to Clive may have ended, her legacy as the Yorkshire Shepherdess who brought farming life into living rooms across the nation remains secure.
At 51 years old, with nine children ranging from young children to adults, a successful farm to run, books to write, and television programs to film, Amanda Owen shows no signs of slowing down. She remains a powerful example of female strength, adaptability, and determination, proving that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and that unconventional life choices can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
Her story continues to evolve, and whatever the future holds, Amanda Owen has already secured her place as one of Britain’s most beloved and inspirational public figures, forever known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess who chose windswept moors and muddy farmyards over fashion runways and never looked back.
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