Jeremy Clarkson admits ‘problems’ at Diddly Squat Farm as he opens up on ‘spiral of despair’
Jeremy Clarkson has opened up about the ‘problems’ he has been facing at his Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds, after welcoming a litter of 11 puppies
Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that he’s been facing “have been problems” at his Diddly Squat Farm, leading to a “spiral of despair”. The 65-year-old former Top Gear presenter has been managing his Oxfordshire farm for the past six years.
The plot, which spans a thousand acres and was originally known as Curdle Hill Farm, was purchased by Jeremy in 2008. He decided to take over the farming operations when the previous tenant retired, a journey he chronicled on Amazon Prime Video’s hit series, Clarkson’s Farm.
Viewers have watched as Jeremy grapples with the challenges of rural life. The host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has faced weather-impacted harvests and the highs and lows of rearing animals on his farm.
Recently, he’s been dealing with issues related to the 11 red fox Labrador puppies he welcomed onto the farm, reports the Express.
“Sweet, eh? Well, yes, but there have been problems,” the star penned in The Sun. According to Jeremy, the mother of the litter developed mastitis due to the large number of puppies.
Mastitis causes a dog’s mammary glands to swell and become painful, potentially leading to reluctance to feed the pups, as well as causing depression and anxiety in the dog.
Jeremy added: “To stop the puppies trying to get on a teat, we had to move her out of their pen. This has sent her into such a spiral of despair that all she does all day is stare at the floor – or wander round the garden digging up every single one of the plants we have.”
Viewers of Clarkson’s Farm witnessed Jeremy expanding his enterprise in the most recent series when he launched The Farmer’s Dog pub. The establishment welcomed its first customers in August 2024, despite a wholesale exodus of staff.
Mastitis causes a dog’s mammary glands to swell and become painful, potentially leading to reluctance to feed the pups, as well as causing depression and anxiety in the dog.
Jeremy added: “To stop the puppies trying to get on a teat, we had to move her out of their pen. This has sent her into such a spiral of despair that all she does all day is stare at the floor – or wander round the garden digging up every single one of the plants we have.”
Viewers of Clarkson’s Farm witnessed Jeremy expanding his enterprise in the most recent series when he launched The Farmer’s Dog pub. The establishment welcomed its first customers in August 2024, despite a wholesale exodus of staff.
Alongside offering his own Hawkstone Lager, Jeremy aimed for “every single thing” at the establishment to be produced or cultivated in Britain. Though the television personality subsequently confessed he had “failed” – as this would prevent him from serving a gin and tonic.
On the pub’s website, Jeremy clarifies: “You can’t have a pub that doesn’t offer a gin and tonic. But there is quinine in tonic water, and you can’t grow that in Britain.
“Sure, I could have served gin and water instead, but I didn’t think you’d enjoy it very much. Especially as, instead of a slice of lemon, you’d have been given a slice of turnip, or some potato peelings.”