Why make a TV series about life on a 400 year old farm? That was my first question, when I was asked to direct and produce a 12-part BBC series about five specialists working a Welsh hill farm as it would have been in the 17th century. I have to admit I was rather sceptical of the idea. Not only did it mean uprooting my family and moving to Wales for a year, but more than that, I was concerned that it might turn into just another low grade reality show, in which the historical concept would be relegated to a back seat.

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