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Living on a working farm in the tranquil Kent countryside, away from the chaos of showbiz, gives JLS band member and 2024 Strictly finalist JB Gill the space to reflect and recharge.
“When you live in central London, you’re always hearing a horn or a siren every two minutes and there is a lot of noise,” reflects the 38-year-old British singer-turned-farmer. “A lot of people like that, but for me, personally, in a lifestyle and career that is full-on, non-stop and always go, go, go, I just wanted to have a bit of peace and quiet.”
The father-of-two particularly appreciated the countryside during the pandemic. “Mentally, having that slice of peace and quiet, to be able to go and be in your thoughts and contemplate all sorts of things, whether it’s in your personal life or anything else, you’ve got that space to do that,” says Gill.
Spending time at home with his wife Chloe and his children, Ace, 10, and Chiara, 7, has been a wonderful way to re-energise after his six-month journey as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and the subsequent Strictly Live Tour, which has just wrapped up.
Gill says that his Mary Poppins-inspired Viennese Waltz particularly moved his family and friends, and will always hold “a special place” in his heart. His experience on the show also helped him let go of his perfectionist tendencies.
“I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so I like to make sure that, before I do any show or any performance, I know exactly what I’m doing and that helps to sort of dissipate any of the nerves,” shares Gill. “But, of course, with a show like Strictly, you’re learning something brand new at the beginning of the week, and by the end of the week, you’re expected to go on live television and perform it. So, it doesn’t give a lot of room for perfection.”
In addition to gliding across the ballroom, the Strictly finalist has also been preparing for the release of his second children’s book, Ace And The Animal Heroes: The Wacky Weather Mystery. One of the key messages he hopes readers take away from his books is that the countryside is a place for everyone.
“In the first book Ace [named after his son] starts off living in a city, then goes to the countryside and interacts with people who have a completely different lifestyle to him, who’ve grown up in a completely different world. And that’s something that we all have to do in life,” says Gill.
“I wanted to highlight in the book, how easy it is to be a part of the countryside. It is one of the main things that people ask me as I’m a black man who has grown up in South London, they don’t quite understand that the countryside is for everybody.
“I think there’s often that hesitation that you might not fit in, but I think the countryside is something that we can all appreciate, and for me personally, it’s something that’s enhanced my life.”
The singer relocated to a working farm in Sevenoaks in 2012, and his smallholding has successfully raised award-winning KellyBronze turkeys and free-range Tamworth pork. And he has witnessed the positive impact that farms can have on children firsthand.
“I do a lot of work with a charity called Farms for City Children and as one of their ambassadors it’s amazing to work with them,” says Gill. “At the start of the week, the kids are often a bit reticent and a bit scared, but by the end of the week, you see them totally come out of their shells. And I have seen that firsthand with my children as well.”
Much of his time is also spent taking Ace, who plays for the Tottenham Hotspur Academy, to football, and Chiara to her dance lessons. The family have also been busy filming the new Cooking With The Gills series, which returns to Channel 5 and Milkshake! on February 22.
“It’s a great opportunity to give them confidence to experience what it’s like to be on a set, backstage and on a screen,” says Gill. “It’s not going to be forever, of course they’re going to get older and then it’s not going to be appropriate for us to do a show like Cooking With The Gills, but for now they both love it.”
Fatherhood has taught him many valuable lessons, but patience stands out as the most important.
“You go for a phase where they know what you’re saying and they know what to do, but they just don’t do it,” reflects Gill. “But then there comes a time where it just clicks, and then all of a sudden, it’s kind of a habit. It’s an amazing thing to see, and it makes you incredibly proud.”
His recommendation to parents of young children? “Be patient and just bide your time and trust that you’re doing a good job,” he says.
Ace And The Animal Heroes: The Wacky Weather Mystery comes out on February 27.
