John Craven was born on 16 August 1940 in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. His father was a prisoner of war during World War II. Craven grew up in Yorkshire, attending Leeds Modern School.

He left school at 16 and began his career as a journalist, working for local newspapers such as the Harrogate Advertiser before moving into national media and broadcasting.

Craven became a household name in 1972 as the first presenter of John Craven’s Newsround on the BBC, hosting over 3,000 episodes and shaping children’s news broadcasting.

In 1989, he joined Countryfile on BBC One, where he became the programme’s longest-serving presenter, covering rural affairs, farming, and environmental issues.

He lives in Oxfordshire with his family and continues to present television while contributing to environmental and charitable organisations.