Today's Countryfile Christmas Special filmed in Northumberland

Countryfile's Christmas Special was filmed at Bamburgh Castle.

The episode will be aired today at 5.40pm. During the programme, Matt Baker decks the halls and gets the place ready for a big Countryfile Christmas party.

Meanwhile, Anita Rani goes on a festive forage with a jewellery maker who turns natural materials into stunning decorations. Anita also sees what it takes to make an award-winning Christmas pudding.

John Craven is on Lindisfarne discovering what the first Christmases in these islands would have been like. He then meets the makers of those old monks’ favourite tipple – mead.

Ellie Harrison gives some hints and tips on how to look after wildlife when the temperature drops. Adam Henson joins the hill shepherd watching her flocks, and Tom Heap wonders if a lack of bell ringers could cause some churches to fall silent this Christmas.

Then it’s all back to Bamburgh Castle to tuck in to the festive feast Matt has laid on for the presenters and their guests.

Castle owner Francis Watson Armstrong said: “It is marvellous that Countryfile chose the castle for its Christmas Special.”