From countryside childhood to national broadcaster
BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox has recently captured public attention with her impressive 135-mile run for Children in Need, a five-day fundraising effort that saw her traverse four counties. However, behind the public persona lies a deeply rooted connection to rural life that shaped her early years.
A magical farm upbringing
Growing up on her father Leonard Cox's beef farm in Little Lever, Bolton, Sara experienced what she describes as a "magical" childhood. The broadcaster, now 50, lived at Grundy Fold Farm with her four siblings, where life was filled with activity and adventure.
In a 2020 Guardian interview, Cox reminisced: "The farm life, the space, the muck, I absolutely loved it - it was like having your own kingdom." Her days were spent riding horses and exploring with farm animals, while her brothers bred mice and rabbits to sell to local pet shops.
Even after her parents separated and she moved with her mother to run a pub with her stepfather, Cox maintained her connection to the farm, regularly returning to ride her beloved horse.
Tragedy strikes the countryside idyll
The peaceful rural existence has been marred by several disturbing incidents in recent years. In 2019, arsonists deliberately set fire to haylage outside the Bolton property owned by her 85-year-old father.
Cox took to social media to condemn what she called a "gang of young idiots" and expressed frustration that police had struggled to find a solution to protect her father and his property.
Tragically, this wasn't the first fire-related incident to affect Cox's family. Back in 2003, her childhood horse Gus, then 26 years old, suffered horrific burns when an arsonist soaked his blanket in petrol and set it alight. The beloved animal lost an eyelid and the tips of his ears before complications led to the devastating decision to put him to sleep.
Ongoing challenges and current life
Most recently, in July 2025, Grundy Fold Farm again became the target of criminal damage, with youths reportedly causing disturbances during evenings and weekends. Greater Manchester Police responded by increasing patrols around the vulnerable and remote location.
Despite these challenges, Cox maintains her countryside values in her current life in north London, where she lives with her husband Ben Cyzer and their three children. She describes herself as "very much my father's daughter", recalling how the farm was often cold and they would simply put on a jumper rather than light the fire.
The broadcaster's career began in modelling at 19, with her first television presenting role coming just two years later. Now hosting BBC Radio 2's drivetime show, she continues to carry the practical, resilient spirit forged during her Bolton farm childhood.
