Property expert and television presenter Sarah Beeny reveals how relocating to the tranquil Somerset countryside has been a vital support for her mental health—though she admits there are still challenging days when “the clouds come.”
At 54, Sarah, widely recognized for hosting Channel 4’s popular show Property Ladder, moved to a sprawling 220-acre former dairy farm near Bruton back in 2018. This major life change inspired her Channel 4 series, Sarah Beeny’s New Life In The Country, which started in 2020 and showcases her transition to rural living.
In August 2022, Sarah faced a huge personal challenge when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment journey included a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and preventative surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes. Fortunately, she received the all-clear in April 2023. Reflecting on this experience, she says, “Cancer feels like a lifetime ago now,” while honestly acknowledging she still experiences emotional ups and downs.
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In a candid interview with The Mirror, Sarah talked about the impact of her diagnosis and recovery. “I was lucky to be diagnosed in time and to have successful treatment. I have a whole life ahead of me now.” Sarah also speaks openly about the emotional strength and perspective gained, having lost her mother to breast cancer when she was just 10.
Sarah credits her husband, Graham Swift, for keeping life grounded with humor and support. She describes her way of coping as a form of “therapy,” joking that Graham jokes she deals with stress by cleaning obsessively. “Cancer was the ‘big bad wolf’ to me, but now I’ve faced it,” she shares. “If you asked what defines me, cancer wouldn’t be on that list.”
Always driven and constantly seeking new challenges, Sarah admits she is “endlessly dissatisfied” with resting on her achievements. “It’s like a drug. I don’t sit still much,” she says. Graham often reminds her to appreciate the impact she’s had, especially empowering women in the building industry, but Sarah feels compelled to keep pushing forward.
Despite the whirlwind of her career and health journey, the calm of the countryside plays a key role in her well-being. “I walk our dogs every day and plant vegetables. Moving to the country genuinely helped my mental health,” Sarah explains. Yet, she openly shares that while she doesn’t consider herself depressed, as she gets older, she experiences darker “cloudy” days.
Sarah also reflected on her struggles with mental health following the birth of her eldest son, Billy. She candidly recalled the intense feelings of self-doubt and overwhelm that she later recognized as baby blues. “I loved my baby, but I felt unprepared and overwhelmed,” she says, highlighting the importance of awareness around postpartum mental health.
With a career spanning shows like Four Rooms and Help! My House Is Falling Down, plus her podcast Seriously?! With Sarah Beeny, Sarah continues to engage audiences with her passion for property and real-life stories. She is currently preparing for her next Channel 4 series focusing on buyers transforming auction properties into dream homes—a testament to her enduring enthusiasm for challenges and transformations.