Local Business ‘Figs on the Funcho’ will be on TV’s “A New Life in the Sun”

It all started with a post ‘Figs on the Funcho’ owners Graham and Cheryl Smith saw on social media, inviting applicants who have left their homeland in favour of a new start in a sunny location to apply for the chance of appearing in series 7 of the TV show, “A New Life in the Sun”! The TV program follows the highs and lows of couples setting up a business in a foreign country.

They didn’t think their early April introductory zoom-live-chat with the shows representatives went well as the internet kept failing and the digger in the garden added much unwanted background noise! Contrary to their pessimism the started filming for the TV show in mid-June, and planned a whirlwind of outdoor activities to promote the outdoor lifestyle they signed up to.

Filming of their outdoor events were scheduled from June through to early October. Usually, you have one camera man assigned to you to cover all filming, but they happily welcomed several visits from cameramen from various nationalities, Portuguese, Italian and English, to help slot into their already very busy shooting schedules.  There were many opportunities to enjoy meals on their riverside deck with the cameraman of the day, and experience a spot of wild swimming in the Barragem do Funcho! Graham and Cheryl enjoy cooking and discovering new healthy and flavoursome vegetarian meals, so it is no surprise that they always serve home-made cakes or meals at their events.

Cheryl said that there were several days of filming on and off their location, covering their new business journey in Portugal – it will be as much of a surprise to them as to our readers which scenes will make the final cut!  They expect to see many parts of the countryside of São Bartolomeu Messines and their village, including the local produce market where they shop for fresh produce, to prepare for the meals that accompanied their outdoor events and meal plans for the overnight guests. 

Filming in the idyllic countryside views will hopefully reveal the beauty of the Algarve landscape, and put São Bartolomeu Messines firmly on the map for all nature lovers and hikers. They hope that the country escapes will inspire walkers and nature lovers to disconnect from their daily lives and connect with nature when visiting their riverside location, Figs on the Funcho, where they can discover the birds in this inland area, plus explore the many walking trails that includes the Lynx walk to one of the breeding centres of the Iberian Peninsula, the Archaeological Circuit of Vilarinha, and nearby cultural walks to name a few.

Readers can view Cheryl and Graham’s journey of their new start in sunny Portugal on Channel 4’s “A New Life in the Sun” starting on Wednesday 2nd February, to the Friday 4th February 2022, at 4pm.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ANewLifeInTheSun

About Figs on the Funcho

Graham from Zimbabwe and Cheryl from South Africa, both previous IT consultants, run a range of art and walking packages, cookery courses, paddle boarding and wild swimming activities at their waterside establishment, Figs on the Funcho. An ideal location for nature enthusiasts seeking a slower pace of life. Its idyllic riverside setting overlooking the Funcho dam; perfect for large events, including weddings, business events, birthday parties and other celebrations.
The villa, sleeping 10 people, is available for exclusive rentals between the months of June and September.

For further information, please see their website at https://figsonthefuncho.com/.
To get in touch with Cheryl and Graham, please email [email protected] or alternatively, you can call +351 912 595 539.