Former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury has opened up about a significant family decision she is weighing, following her harrowing battle with breast cancer. The 51-year-old broadcaster, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2021, admitted that discussions about potentially leaving London arise "almost weekly" with her long-term partner, property developer Gerard Cunningham.
Health Transformation After Cancer Diagnosis
Julia Bradbury's cancer ordeal, which involved surgery to remove a 6cm tumour, left her confronting end-of-life fears and prompted a complete lifestyle overhaul. She has since committed to rigorous health practices, including regular medical checks, prioritising quality sleep, reducing inflammation, and building physical strength.
"My markers are regular checks, good sleep, low inflammation, feeling strong. I've improved my health and fitness month on month, year on year since 2021," she revealed in an interview with Woman's Weekly Magazine.
Dietary Changes and Risk Reduction
Her health shake-up has involved eliminating sugar from her diet, swapping sugary breakfast cereals for protein-rich alternatives, and nearly cutting out alcohol entirely due to concerns about cancer recurrence risks. This disciplined approach reflects her determination to prioritise wellbeing above all else.
Questioning London Life for Family
Currently residing in Notting Hill, West London, with her partner and their three children, Bradbury is now seriously considering whether the capital provides the ideal environment for raising a family. Having previously lived in Rutland for many years, she finds herself contrasting London's hectic pace with the peaceful countryside of her youth.
"We talk almost weekly about whether London is the right place to bring up kids," she confessed, expressing a desire to get her children away from screens and immersed in nature.
Creative Outdoor Solutions
To encourage outdoor activity, Bradbury has developed inventive games like "uppie badminton," using an old shuttlecock and mismatched rackets to keep the family engaged outside. "Sometimes the dog steals the shuttlecock, but it works," she joked, highlighting her commitment to fostering a connection with nature.
Nature as Therapeutic Foundation
The Dublin-born presenter, author of "Walk Yourself Happy," has long championed the healing power of the natural world. She describes walking as "a pillar of health" and views time outdoors as essential for both physical and mental wellbeing.
"It's my best friend and it's my outdoor gym. We human beings have evolved to be in nature," she explained during an appearance on Lorraine. "One of the biggest health mistakes we make in our lives every day is that we don't spend enough time outside."
Childhood Memories vs. Urban Reality
In an interview with House Beautiful, Bradbury recalled her idyllic upbringing in Rutland, England's smallest county, where she lived in a 400-year-old rectory next to a church. "My childhood home was idyllic, peaceful and loving," she remembered, contrasting this with London's urban environment.
While acknowledging that London works well for her family due to her partner's career and the children's schooling, she clearly feels torn between practical considerations and her deepening commitment to a nature-focused lifestyle.
Professional Projects and Antarctic Adventures
Bradbury has recently returned to television with her ITV series "Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South," which takes viewers on an expedition through the South Atlantic and Antarctica. The show features her battling through dense tussock grass in the Falkland Islands to witness spectacular wildlife displays.
She fully immerses herself in local experiences, trying her hand at shepherding and wool clipping to understand why Falklands wool is so highly prized, before journeying further south for a close encounter with the massive A23a iceberg.
The broadcaster's professional travels underscore her passion for nature, making her domestic considerations about relocation particularly poignant as she balances career demands with personal health and family priorities in the aftermath of her cancer journey.
