A Countryfile guest who is battling cancer left viewers in shock as they confessed to having ‘suicidal thoughts’ before breaking down in tears during a recent episode.
BBC‘s Sean Fletcher warned fans about upcoming distressing scenes as his co-presenter Charlotte Smith looked into the controversy surrounding inheritance tax for farmers.
Back in October last year, the Government introduced the ‘largest inheritance tax changes for farmers in decades’. It has since proved to be ‘catastrophic’ for family farms.
In the episode, Charlotte sadly shared that Countryfile had contacted rural mental health organisations, disclosing that tragically two farmers had ended their own lives, and both families ‘cited inheritance tax as a contributing factor’.
Following this, Countryfile then introduced fifth-generation farmer Charles Rees who received a cancer diagnosis back in February.
Charles’ son Tom could face a hefty inheritance tax demand of £1 million.
Back in October last year, the Government introduced the ‘largest inheritance tax changes for farmers in decades’. It has since proved to be ‘catastrophic’ for family farms
A Countryfile guest who is battling cancer left viewers in shock as they confessed to having ‘suicidal thoughts’ before breaking down in tears during a recent episode
From April 2026, a 20 per cent inheritance tax rate will be levied on agricultural assets worth more than £1 million, which were previously exempt. This is half the usual rate of 40 per cent.
The committee backed the Government’s aim of overhauling APR and BPR to ‘close the loophole’ allowing wealthy investors to buy agricultural land to avoid inheritance tax, but said stakeholders and experts have proposed several alternative ways to reform these taxes.
These include increasing the tax-free combined cap for both taxes to £20 million but with potential ‘clawback period’ in which any land sold after being passed on, tapering to avoid a cliff-edge if the property is sold.
Speaking to Charlotte about the situation, he said: ‘I’ve been here for 70 years, it’s everything I’ve ever done.’
But then the conversation took a turn for the worst as she asked about the effect the looming tax has on the household.
He added: ‘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.’
In response, Charlotte said: ‘You’ve really thought about that? Because of the farm?’, as he confirmed: ‘Oh God yes.’
BBC ‘s Sean Fletcher warned fans about upcoming distressing scenes as his co-presenter Charlotte Smith looked into the controversy surrounding inheritance tax for farmers
She then turned to his wife, Ruth, and began to ask about her wellbeing.
Charles was then reduced to tears and had to excuse himself from the table.
Ruth attempted to respond to Charlotte’s question, but found herself overcome with emotion.
She said: ‘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”.’
Thankfully, since the interview was recorded, Charles has undergone surgery and currently on the mend.
However, viewers of the show were left lost for words and took to X to share their thoughts.
One person shared: ‘Didn’t expect to have tears watching #Countryfile. My heart goes out to Charles and his family.’
Another wrote: ‘Just watching these poor farmers, broken and in bits by the #inheritancetax just wrong!’
A third said: ‘Labour hates our poor farmers who are just trying to survive.’
Countryfile airs Sundays on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
