20 May 2010

      Fferm Ffactor is back and S4C has unveiled the shortlist of the ten farmers who’ll be battling it out in the second series of the farming competition.

The competitors – three women and seven men, age 27-46, from across Wales – will face a series of challenges during the series, which kicks off with a special hour-long episode on Thursday 10 June, 20:25.

The ten finalists will have to impress the series’ judges – the President of the 2010 Royal Welsh Show, Dai Jones, and former Principal of Harper Adams University College, Shropshire, Professor Wynne Jones. Keeping the peace between the judges and the contestants is presenter Daloni Metcalfe, a member of S4C’s Ffermio farming team.

North Wales is strongly represented among the finalists, including 46 year old Glyn Roberts from Llangadfan, near Welshpool. The sheep farmer has worked at the same farm in Llanerfyl for the past 30 years.

Iwan Huws (37) from Bodedern on Anglesey is the sole representative from Anglesey and his target whilst competing on Fferm Ffactor is to not be the first person eliminated from the competition.

Father of four Iwan Price from Cerrigydrudion, near Corwen, is 40 years old and in his spare time enjoys acting with his local drama group.

The three women vying to be crowned Fferm Ffactor Champion 2010 include Catrin George, 33, from Brechfa near Carmarthen and Llandeilo’s Doris Jones (46), who combines her work on the farm with her role as Young Farmers Club leader at the Llanfynydd Club.

28-year-old Anwen Griffiths from Penparc, near Cardigan, makes up the list of female competitors who will be looking to show the men that they are more than capable of winning the competition.

Ceredigion will also be represented by Phillip Reed (42), who learnt he was chosen for the competition after his daughter had filled the application form on his behalf. Phillip lives in Blaenannerch with his wife and three children.

Teifi Jenkins, a former Ysgol Uwchradd Dyffryn Teifi pupil, farms beef and sheep on the family farm near Newcastle Emlyn. At 27, he’s the youngest competitor of the competition and is quietly confident that he can take the crown.

Others who have reached the final ten include Machynlleth’s Aeron Pughe (29), who combines work on the farm with his rock star life as a member of the band Hufen Iâ Poeth (Hot Ice Cream), and 39-year-old Huw Thomas Jones from Llwyngwril, near Dolgellau, who believes the standard of the competition this year is higher than ever.

Factor Fferm FFactor into your weekly Thursday night viewing at 20:25.

s4c.co.uk/ffermffactor