john craven yorkshire final wish

John Craven, the beloved BBC Countryfile presenter, made headlines in August 2026 with the revelation of his 'poignant final wish' to have his ashes scattered in Yorkshire. Craven, 86, expressed a desire for his final resting place to be on Otley Chevin, a wooded ridge above Wharfedale where he cycled as a boy, calling it "still one of my favourite places in the world." Born in Leeds, Craven has maintained strong ties to his Yorkshire roots despite living elsewhere for much of his life. Before becoming synonymous with Countryfile, which he has presented for 37 years since 1989, Craven was widely known for fronting the children's news programme Newsround for 17 years, starting in 1972.