If you’re not a big Sunday night TV viewer then you probably didn’t see a nod to the BHWT that graced TV screens on Sunday 10th January on ITV. Beat the Chasers is a spin-off show of the popular The Chase with Bradley Walsh, where contestants try to outrun (mentally-speaking) the nations smartest quiz brains, “The Chasers”. So imagine our surprise when we learned that one of our smart supporters was not only on the show but she also managed to outrun the Chasers and take home £10,000! Find out about our very own hen-loving quiz brain, Dr Jennie Robinson!
Dr Jennie has been supporting us since 2013 after she heard of the possibility of adopting ex-caged hens on Channel 4’s River Cottage. She tells us “I had to google the concept to find the name BHWT, I remember being so excited to fill in the application form and then hear back that there were hens waiting for me!” Jennie was more than excited to be able to adopt some hens and so headed to the BHWT website to learn all she could about how to care for her new arrivals.
When she finally collected her four girls, she named them Kitty, Jane, Mary and Lydia after four of the five Bennett sisters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Jennie had already named her cat Lizzie, the main character of the book, so it seemed like a perfect fit. Jennie tells us how wonderful it was to see them taking their first free-range steps, gaining confidence and feathering up to be four beautiful girls.
For three years, the girls thrived, living out their retirement with Jennie and her husband until only Kitty was left. In September 2019 Jennie decided that Kitty needed some new sisters, so Jennie adopted four more hens calling them Joan, Matilda, Eleanor and Isabella,after Medieval queens– I think we can see a theme starting here!
Jennie tells us “they integrated successfully with Kitty, who is still going strong today.”
It was this passion for her hens that caught our eye on Beat the Chasers on that fateful Sunday night, as she stood on the podium next to Bradley Walsh, telling the nation that one of her hobbies was looking after her hens that she had adopted “from a charity that rehomes hens after they have finished their laying life.” Could that be us? – Of course, it was! And Bradly Walsh was stunned!
Jennie tells us “Bradley seemed really surprised that the chickens will come over to you when you appear – I told him that they come to their name, that they all have individual personalities, and are much brighter than a lot of people think” But of course, when you’re on a game show it’s a whirlwind of information to process, and as Jennie tells us it was very unnerving to be up there.
“The 60 seconds when I was answering questions passed in a blur. I can’t remember most of the questions now. I couldn’t look at the clock – I was nervous that I’d mess up through mishearing, so I was staring fixedly at Bradley Walsh’s face (poor chap!)”
It was such a blur that Jennie didn’t even realise that she had won £10,000! And what is she spending it on you ask? Well, Jennie and her husband are huge Eurovision fans! So, the plan is to head to Eurovision 2022 to take part in the whole experience: a week packed with parties, auditions, semi-finals and of course, the grand final! Sounds like a blast!Way to go Jennie, and thanks for all the hen love!
