Brief Introduction of Amanda Owen
Amanda Owen, widely known as ‘The Yorkshire Shepherdess’, is an English shepherdess, writer, and television personality who has captured the public’s imagination with her depiction of traditional rural life. She rose to prominence through her bestselling books and the popular Channel 5 television series, Our Yorkshire Farm, which chronicled the daily lives of her and her family on Ravenseat Farm, one of the most remote hill farms in Britain. Owen has become a celebrated figure for her dedication to farming, her hands-on approach to raising her nine children, and her ability to share the raw beauty and harsh realities of agricultural life with a global audience. Her story is one of a town-dweller who followed her dream to live and work in the countryside, inspiring many with her resilience, connection to nature, and modern-day shepherdess lifestyle.
Amanda Owen Overview
| Full Name | Amanda Jayne Owen (née Livingstone) |
| Date of Birth | September 1974 |
| Age(as of 2025) | 51 |
| Birthplace | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England |
| Profession | Shepherdess, Writer, Television Presenter |
| Husband/Wife | Clive Owen (married 2000; separated 2022) |
| Family | Parents’ information not extensively public; father was an engineer, mother a typist and part-time model. Nine children with Clive Owen: Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clementine, and Nancy. |
| Relationship/Affairs(GF/BF) | Formerly in a relationship with Robert Davies, which has since ended. |
| Net Worth | Estimated to be over £1 million. |
Early Life and Education of Amanda Owen
Amanda Jayne Livingstone was born in Huddersfield, a large market town in West Yorkshire, in September 1974. Her upbringing was a world away from the rural existence she would later embrace. Raised in a suburban semi-detached house, her father was an engineer and her mother worked as a typist, also doing some part-time modeling. Owen’s childhood was, by her own account, quite conventional. However, from an early age, she felt a profound pull towards the countryside and a life centered around animals. This fascination was significantly fueled by the James Herriot books and the accompanying television series, All Creatures Great and Small, which painted an idyllic yet realistic picture of veterinary life in the Yorkshire Dales. Inspired, she initially harbored ambitions of becoming a farm vet.
Realizing that her academic grades might not be sufficient for veterinary school, she sought alternative paths to work with animals. Her passion for the outdoors grew, and she would take the family dog on long walks up to the moors. As a teenager, she replaced posters of pop stars on her bedroom wall with pictures of livestock, complete with notes about potential ailments. Determined to pursue her dream, after completing her A Levels, she enrolled in an NVQ in Veterinary Nursing. A pivotal moment came when she discovered a book titled Hill Shepherd by John and Eliza Forder in her local library. The book’s evocative photographs of shepherds and their flocks in the Dales and the Lake District solidified her desire to become a shepherdess. To gain practical experience, Owen took on various odd jobs on farms, including milking cows, driving tractors, and assisting with lambing, while also working shifts at a newsagents, a pottery shop, and a factory to support herself.
Amanda Owen’s Career
Amanda Owen’s career is a testament to her tenacity and passion for the farming lifestyle. After gaining hands-on experience on various farms, she began working as a contract shepherdess. Her life took a decisive turn in 1996 when, at the age of 21, she was sent to Ravenseat Farm in Swaledale to borrow a tup (a male sheep). There she met Clive Owen, the farm’s tenant. A friendship blossomed, which eventually grew into a romance, and Amanda joined Clive at Ravenseat. They married in 2000 and together they managed the demanding 2,000-acre farm, home to a flock of around 1,000 Swaledale sheep.
Owen first gained public attention not through traditional media, but via her Twitter account, “The Yorkshire Shepherdess”. She began sharing candid photos and stories about the daily realities of life on the remote farm, from battling the elements to raising her growing family. Her authentic portrayal of rural life resonated with a wide audience, and her social media following grew significantly. This online presence led to a book deal. In 2014, she published her first memoir, The Yorkshire Shepherdess, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. She has since written several more successful books, including A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess (2016), The Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess (2019), and Celebrating The Seasons with The Yorkshire Shepherdess (2021). Her writing chronicles the challenges and joys of farming, family, and nature.
The family’s first foray into television was as regulars on Adrian Edmondson’s ITV documentary series The Dales in 2011. They later appeared on an episode of Ben Fogle’s New Lives In The Wild UK in 2015. The success of this appearance led to their own observational documentary series on Channel 5, Our Yorkshire Farm. The show premiered in 2018 and became a massive hit, attracting over three million viewers per episode and turning Amanda, Clive, and their nine children into household names. The series was lauded for its genuine depiction of a life deeply connected to the land and the seasons. Following her separation from Clive, the show came to an end. However, Owen continued her television career, presenting Amanda Owen’s Extraordinary Farming Lives on More4. In a surprising move, she and Clive reunited on screen for a new Channel 4 series in 2024, Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids, which follows their joint project of renovating a derelict farmhouse. More recently, Owen has ventured into children’s literature, signing a seven-book deal with Puffin. Her first children’s book, Christmas Tales From The Farm, was released in 2025.
Amanda Owen Personal Life & Family
Amanda Owen’s personal life is intrinsically linked to her professional identity as The Yorkshire Shepherdess. In 1996, she met first-generation farmer Clive Owen at Ravenseat Farm. Clive, who is over 20 years her senior, was divorced with two children from a previous marriage. The couple married in 2000 and went on to have nine children together: Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clementine, and Nancy. Their family life, characterized by a “free-range” upbringing for the children who were heavily involved in the farm’s daily operations, was the heart of the popular television show Our Yorkshire Farm. Owen has spoken about her unconventional approach to childbirth, with several of her children being born either en route to the hospital or at home by the fireplace.
In June 2022, Amanda and Clive publicly announced their separation after 22 years of marriage. In a joint statement, they confirmed it was a difficult decision but the right choice for their family’s future, emphasizing their commitment to continue working together on the farm and co-parenting their children. The pressures of fame and their media commitments were cited as contributing factors to the split. Following the separation, Owen moved into a nearby holiday let, and the children divided their time between both parents. Despite the end of their marriage, they have maintained an amicable relationship, describing each other as confidants and embarking on a new joint television project to renovate a nearby property.
After her separation from Clive, Amanda entered into a relationship with web designer Robert Davies, a man she and Clive had known for a long time. However, in 2024, she confirmed that this relationship had ended and that they were no longer in contact. Owen continues to reside in the Yorkshire Dales, balancing her work as a farmer, writer, and media personality with the demands of raising her nine children.
Awards and Achievements of Amanda Owen
- Shortlisted for Non-Fiction Lifestyle Book of the Year at the 2022 British Book Awards for Celebrating the Seasons.
- Author of five bestselling books, including multiple Sunday Times bestsellers.
- Star of the highly popular Channel 5 series Our Yorkshire Farm, which became one of the channel’s most-watched shows.
Amanda Owen Net Worth and Income
As of 2025, Amanda Owen’s net worth is estimated to be over £1 million. Her income is derived from a variety of sources, reflecting her successful transition from a shepherdess to a multi-faceted media personality. A significant portion of her earnings comes from her television work, including the highly successful series Our Yorkshire Farm and subsequent shows like Our Farm Next Door. It has been reported that she and Clive earned around £250,000 annually from the show during its run. Book publishing is another major source of income; she has authored five bestselling books about her life. Owen also generates revenue through public speaking engagements, touring the UK with live talks, and magazine deals. Her company, Yorkshire Shepherdess Ltd, has seen significant growth in assets, further contributing to her wealth. Additionally, the farm itself provided income through tourism, including offering cream teas to walkers and renting out a shepherd’s hut and a holiday home.
Legacy and Influence
Amanda Owen’s legacy is rooted in her role as a modern-day icon of rural life. Through her books, television shows, and social media presence, she has demystified the often-unseen world of hill farming, presenting it in an accessible and engaging manner to a vast urban audience. She has challenged traditional stereotypes of farmers and shepherdesses, combining practicality and hard work with a glamorous and media-savvy image. Her influence extends to parenting, where her “free-range” approach, which emphasizes independence, responsibility, and a deep connection with nature, has been both praised and debated, sparking conversations about contemporary childhood. She has inspired many to reconsider their relationship with the countryside and has been credited with a renewed interest in rural livelihoods. Her story of a city girl determinedly pursuing a pastoral dream serves as an inspiration for those seeking to follow unconventional life paths. By sharing both the idyllic moments and the harsh realities of her life, Owen has created a powerful and enduring narrative about family, nature, and the relentless rhythm of the seasons.
Interesting Facts about Amanda Owen
- Amanda Owen stands at a height of 6 feet 2 inches.
- She was inspired to pursue a farming life after reading the James Herriot books.
- A book of photography called Hill Shepherd was a major inspiration; years later, she discovered her future husband, Clive, was pictured in that very book.
- She has given birth in various unconventional settings, including at the roadside and at home by the fire, only waking her husband after the baby was born.
- Before becoming a full-time shepherdess, she worked various jobs, including in a newsagents, a pottery shop, and a factory.
- She and her family live on a 2,000-acre tenant farm, which is one of the highest and most remote in England.
- The family’s farm, Ravenseat, is located on the popular Coast-to-Coast walking route.
- She didn’t realize she was pregnant with her ninth child, Nancy, until she was six months along, mistaking the signs for “middle-aged spread”.
Controversies
Amanda Owen’s rise to fame has not been without controversy. The end of her 22-year marriage to Clive Owen in 2022 brought intense media scrutiny, with speculation about the reasons for their split, including cheating allegations, which Clive publicly refuted, stating the cause was frequent arguments and his own anger. Her subsequent relationship with businessman Robert Davies also drew media attention, particularly as it was revealed while she was still married to Clive, although she stated they were already separated at the time. Additionally, her parenting style, while widely admired, has faced some criticism, with some questioning whether her children’s “free-range” upbringing would prepare them for the “real world”. She has also had to deal with online trolls commenting on her appearance and questioning her authenticity as a farmer, which she has occasionally addressed defiantly on social media.
Social Media Presence
- Instagram (@yorkshireshepherdess) – Over 500,000 followers
- Twitter (@AmandaOwen8) – Over 180,000 followers
- YouTube – Information not disclosed.
Final Words about Amanda Owen
Amanda Owen remains a prominent and compelling figure in the British media landscape. Having navigated significant personal changes, including her public separation from Clive Owen, she has demonstrated remarkable resilience. She continues to work on the farm, co-parent her nine children, and build her diverse career. Her recent on-screen reunion with Clive for the series Our Farm Next Door indicates a new chapter in their professional and personal relationship, focusing on family and shared legacy. With a new multi-book deal for children’s literature, she is expanding her reach and continuing to share her passion for the countryside with a new generation. Amanda Owen’s journey is far from over; she continues to evolve, proving that the life of a Yorkshire Shepherdess is one of constant adaptation, hard work, and an enduring connection to the land she calls home.
