 In January 2012, Oliver Sterling, owner of Grange Farm, together with his tenant, Ed Grundy, elected to vaccinate the badgers on their farm in an attempt to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis.The plotline came within weeks of the government confirming a badger cull trial.It was announced on 29 March 2020 that the programme would include reference to the COVID-19 pandemic from 4 May onwards.