Couple tells Ben Fogle how they started working 18 hours a day with a food truck to buy an abandoned €58,000 sheep farm in the Portuguese wilderness – and are now happier than ever

A couple from Malta told Ben Fogle how they spent their savings to buy 42 hectares of land in the Portuguese wilderness – and left their land behind to start a new life all over again.

Luke, 45, and his wife Sarah, 44, appeared on tonight's episode of New Lives In The Wild – airing at 9pm on Channel 5 – to tell the presenter how they left being 'slaves to their business' at home , where they end up working “18-hour days” and focusing on enjoying their lives.

Five years ago, the couple spent €58,000 (about £49,331.61 today) to build their dream home near the Serra da Estrela mountains.

Their land – an abandoned sheep farm spread across beautiful rolling green hills – includes a river and ancient ruins; which the couple hopes can one day become their dream home.

However, they currently live in a cozy house in the area, which is 'completely off-grid' – equipped with solar energy, a well and a vermicomposting flushing toilet.

They also have pigs, chickens and a garden, where they grow about 30 different types of fruits and vegetables.

The couple, who both grew up in Malta, met when Luke was 20 and Sarah was 19, after 'getting drunk in a bar'.

The couple have been in love for 25 years and enjoy traveling the world together.

They spent 10 years backpacking through different countries before settling back in their home country to run a hugely successful food truck.

But two years of grueling work and “18- to 20-hour days” took their toll on the duo – so they decided to “pack up, sell everything and go on their next adventure.”

They considered New Zealand, Scotland and Mexico before settling on their new life in Portugal.

Sarah told Ben about her happy, idyllic childhood in Malta – despite her family's financial problems – and said having the food truck with Luke showed them that money isn't everything.

“We were really financially secure when we were in Malta with the food truck, but we were slaves to our company and we worked way too hard,” she revealed.

“And then one day Luke said to me, 'If you die, if we die tomorrow, will you be happy with the way you live today?' And my answer was no, because we were not happy.

'It wasn't quality time together, even though we spent 24 hours a day together. There was no life for us.”

The pair – who lived off their savings for the first time when they moved – have also started documenting their journey on a successful YouTube channel, which has more than 29,700 subscribers and earns around £700 a month. This is 'just enough to live on', so the pair are also working on other online initiatives to raise money.

Luke also talked about the tension he felt working at the food truck in Malta.

“I put myself in a position where I was indispensable,” he said. “Like if I were really sick I would have to close down… it just doesn't make business sense.

'I have a passion for food, but it is hard work.'

He also discovered that there are 'too many people' in Malta for his taste.

“I mean, we really tried because my dad really just wants Sarah and me to be in Malta and have kids,” he added. 'That's what he really wants. But it's just… not for us.'

The pair have also weathered a health crisis together, as Sarah told the program about a “big growth” she had on her neck.

“It got quite big, it was definitely pressing on my breathing apparatus,” she noted.

But Sarah says her optimistic attitude helped her remain worry-free throughout the process.

“Spending your time worrying isn't going to change the outcome,” she said. “I mean, it might actually make it worse.

“So the only thing I was worried about, honestly, was that it was in my thyroid.

'So they had to take out half of my thyroid. Your thyroid is like your happy thing… it makes you happy. And I thought, would I be completely depressed if they took everything out? That was only my concern for a second.

“But it didn't happen.”

“Living a life like that is physical, and it takes a toll on your body,” Ben noted.

“But actually, when you think about what they've benefited from in terms of mental health and healthier living, I think this far outweighs the dips and bumps along the way. And they fit together so well.'

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild airs Tuesday February 13 at 9pm on Channel 5