Welsh Celebs Enjoy “Pork Life” Down on Farm

A group of Welsh celebrities made a pig’s ear of things when they got stuck in to some “pork life” down on the farm.

The other stars of the new series of Fferm Ffactor Selebs were a pair of pigs and a livestock trailer from Ifor Williams Trailers into which they were herded – eventually.

Viewers will be able to see the hilarious results when the first programme made by Caernarfon-based Cwmni Da airs on S4C at 7.30pm on Saturday, March 9.

Among those having a “swill” time as they vie for honours this year are a collection of stars from the worlds of music, drama and broadcasting.

One of the tasks in the opening episode was to drive the porkers nicknamed Pinky and Perky through a tricky course at Coleg Cambria’s Llysfasi site near Ruthin and load them onto the livestock trailer from Ifor Williams Trailers, which will also be used for a similar trial involving sheep later in the series.

Every twist and turn was captured on camera under the watchful eye of judges Caryl Gruffydd Roberts and Richard Tudor who used a second trailer from the iconic firm for cover during bad weather.

Singer and TV presenter Lisa Angharad, who was raised on a small-holding near Aberystwyth and now lives in Cardiff, was teamed up with madcap musician, actor and TV presenter Dewi Pws and farmer and TV adventurer Wil Evans

She said: “My mother has a very agricultural background so I have more knowledge than the average person.

“I know about Ifor Williams Trailers. We didn’t have one on our small-holding but we used to borrow other people’s.

“I’m looking forward to the task with pigs because they are my favourite farm animal.”

Former Wales international Owain Tudur Jones was teamed up with popular actor Llion Williams and their captain, Anni Llŷn.

The defensive midfielder’s nomadic career saw him play for a host of clubs including Swansea City, Swindon Town, Norwich City, Porthmadog and Bangor.

Although he was totally out of his comfort zone, his strong competitive streak meant the Fferm Ffactor offer was impossible to turn down.

Owain, originally from Bangor but now living in Llanddeiniolen, said: “Since retiring from football my mindset has been not to turn any offers down so when the call came, I thought ‘why not?’.

“I have no idea when it comes to farming but also there is something in me that’s quite competitive.

“I’ve won the cookery show Pryd o Sér, the football competition Codi Gôl and the quiz show, Y Rȃs. I need Fferm Ffactor to win the grand slam!

“But I’ve got more bravado than confidence though!”

Actor Llion Williams, who rose to stardom in the hit S4C comedy series, C’Mon Midffild, was happy to hog the limelight.

Llion, who was brought up in Talybont in the Conwy Valley and Bangor but now lives in Llanrug near Caernarfon, said: “There were farmers in my family on my father’s side on Anglesey and I’m sure they’ve all had a few Ifor Williams trailers over the years

“I used to visit them as a child but I don’t have any experience at all with pigs so I suspect we might as well put up the white flag now.

Team captain Anni Llŷn, the former Children’s Poet Laureate for Wales, was raised on a sheep and cattle farm in Sarn Mellteyrn on the Llŷn Peninsula.

She said: “I didn’t know they were going to make me team captain when I signed up for Fferm Ffactor.

“I wouldn’t call myself a farmer in the same way as the other team captain, Wil Hendreseifion, because he farms every day and I don’t.

“What’s more I didn’t really help out on the farm a lot when I was growing up – we farmed each side of the main road so as children we had to be very careful about going out to help.

“The most I remember from helping is during the lambing season and going out to check the lambs. I did drive a tractor once for my father and I made a mess of it so I didn’t again.

“I’m scared of pigs, but I don’t have to do the pig task so we’ll be okay – I’ll just be giving them encouragement.”

Dewi Pws, originally from Swansea but now living in Nefyn on the Llŷn Peninsula, recalled: “My uncle kept pigs and chickens and things when I was a little boy, and for around five years we went on holiday to Chwilog and I worked there helping the farmer.

“We moved to live in Nefyn three years ago and it is the best place. The Llŷn Peninsula is very special because you can live naturally through the medium of Welsh.

“I don’t have much experience with pigs though, only eating them! Lisa understands pigs – she’s the brain and I’m the brawn. We’re depending on her.”

Team captain Wil Evans better known as Wil Hendreseifion, from Machynlleth, was in his element being piggy in the middle.

He said: “I’ve been brought up with Ifor Williams Trailers – they’re strong and they’re simple to use. We’re lucky to have them in Wales because they are the best in the world.”

Presenter Ifan Evans’ day job is as a proper farmer in Pontrhydygroes, near Aberystwyth, and he had no time for any of the contestants wanting to wallow in self-pity.

He said: “I try to keep things in order and I am sure it’s going to be a challenge with this particular group of celebrities.

“It adds a lot to the show seeing them out of their comfort zone. With farmers we know that they can do a lot of the tasks but it’s something completely new to the contestants this year.

“We have a mischievous lot this year but I am sure it’s going to be as competitive as ever, especially with people like Owain Tudur Jones who has played football at the highest level.

“It’s hard to tell at this stage if there are any favourites to win the competition but I suspect that Dewi Pws is going to be a dark horse.”

Andrew Reece-Jones, the design engineering manager at Ifor Williams Trailers, said the company was delighted to once again help the Fferm Ffactor production team.

“Our livestock trailers are well known to farmers across Wales and much of the world but they won’t be so familiar to celebrities taking part this year.

“I suspect the pigs will pose much more of a challenge than the trailers and we’re all looking forward to see how the celebrities get on.”

The new series of Fferm Ffactor Selebs starts on S4C at 7.30pm on Saturday, March 9.