Saturday 14th February
Dr James Greenwood
Dr James Greenwood STAR of BBC1’s Morning Live, actual real life vet and author.
James grew up in Huddersfield before fleeing the nest and is now fully settled in Bristol with his glorious family, husband Mark, son Oliver and labrador Dolly.
He is however never too far from an HD postcode venturing up North for filming frequently and revelling in being a true Huddersfieldian whenever he is back in town.
So James where did you grown up and what did you love about it?
I grew up in Edgerton and I love how safe it felt. I don’t think you appreciate that at the time, but my best friend lived down the road and we could go straight out of the front door on our bikes, up to the park, or to Lindley to get some sweets, it felt like our own little world. But I did always want to be a farmer and have as many animals as possible, so trying to negotiate having goats in quite a built up area was never going to get past dad…. I did still try. We settled on bantams in the end but god, just a cow and some goats in the garden would have been great….
What makes Huddersfield so special?
It has to be the people doesn’t it? Huddersfield is the ultimate example of community. They say it takes a village and Huddersfield is a massive village. You can call on anyone to help here, and if now I am ever stuck with something, you can call on a Huddersfield friend and they will know somebody, who will know somebody, who will know somebody who will be able to help. That is amazing about Huddersfield.
Where do you live now and what do you miss about Huddersfield?
So we now live down in South Bristol and I am probably the only person that is ever going to say this, but I really miss the weather. I really miss the cold of Yorkshire. Where we are now we have really lovely long, hot summers, but the winters are just really wet and a bit muggy, and I miss the crisp, cold, cold winter days, it’s true!
What is your favourite childhood memory?
Now it’s a step out of Huddersfield but it’s a trip over to Cannon Hall Farm. It was my ultimate day out and back then it was really simple, a few mice running down a drain pipe, some guinea pigs, a couple of rabbits and out the back some chickens and ducks. As I had chickens as a boy, it was heaven to see all their rare breeds, I remember they had a golden pheasant and I thought that was just amazing. It is VERY different now. I went back the other day and it is huge, a great restaurant, huge sheds, but it is really cute. I now work in TV and Helen Skelton is a good friend and presents on Morning Live and also presents on the show coming out of Cannon Hall on Channel 5 so it feels really special that something that was such a great childhood memory is now also playing a part in my adult life. I recently took Oliver my little boy there to see the animals and it felt all very full circle.
Your best night out?
There have been a few!
I LOVE a Huddersfield night out – I used to work at Rock Cafe, so we’d start there and then Visage and Ethos, what a time to be alive! There is nothing more to say but some of the best nights out of my life, have been with friends, in Huddersfield. I think we should leave that there…….
Best walk in Huddersfield?
We always take the dogs up to the moors round Outlane which we call the ‘top of the world’ as it really does feel like that, it’s so vast.
What would make the perfect day?
Seeing friends and family, taking the dogs out, hanging out with friends, catching up with old friends, keeping it really simple. It’s the company that I love more than anything else, seeing the people you’ve known forever.
Tell us the best lunch or brunch spot?
The Manor House in Lindley, I took mum, that was really nice, but also Darkwoods coffee in Marsden – my friend Helen took me up there for a dog walk and we got there and it was actually closed, but they saw us and took pity on us and opened up and showed us round and it was incredible coffee, and the bakery that’s there as well – Rogers, on the canal path, that has to be the best in Huddersfield.
The best view in town?
Ooh has to be anywhere with Castle Hill in the background? It’s just so quintessentially Huddersfield – it always makes me feel like I’m home. There’s a view, when I come off the M1 and I think on Wakefield Road and you can see Emley Moor Mast and Castle Hill and they are just the two landmarks that serve as a reminder that I am home.
Best HD food tip?
There is an incredible restaurant in town called Apadana and it serves the most authentic and completely delicious Persian food and I discovered it once when I was filming in Manchester and fleetingly at home for the night, hit the apps and had the most amazing Persian banquet delivered. So that is my secret tip – which for all I know, everyone might already love, but if you don’t definitely check it out.
Best place to take your child?
Cannon Hall as mentioned, but also Dixons Milk Ices on Leeds Road or Lockwood – it’s a right of passage, get the HUGE ice cream there and on to Cannon Hall. Perfect.
Three words to sum up Huddersfield?
Hills
Heart
Nippy
James THANK YOU! Our first interview for Huddle and you did not disappoint. A true gentleman with such class, and a really great friend, the whole package and crucially Made in Hudds.
James is currently filming some exciting projects and you can buy his book right here. It’s on all the cool kids’ bookshelves, so don’t let yours go without!
