Jeremy Clarkson has admitted to feeling frustrated and “exasperated” by his Clarkson’s Farm co-star, Kaleb Cooper, during their time together at the Cotswolds farm.
The pair are familiar faces on the widely watched Prime Video documentary series, which follows life on the TV star’s sprawling Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington. Clarkson, 65, has become known for his unfiltered commentary on farm life, while Cooper, 27, an Oxfordshire local from nearby Chipping Norton, earned fame as the young, energetic farmhand who supports Clarkson in running the 1,000-acre estate.
Since joining the show, Mr Cooper has appeared in all four seasons and is set to return for the fifth season, which recently wrapped filming in September. Despite their working relationship, Clarkson has revealed in his latest book, Diddly Squat: The Farmer’s Dog, that interactions with his young colleague can sometimes test his patience.
Clarkson recounted one such moment, explaining: “I see Kaleb Cooper, my farm manager, most days, but it’s often difficult to get a conversation going. It’s not that he’s thick, he really isn’t. You can ask him how much diesel you’ll need in a 150-horsepower tractor to clear 40 bales from a nine-acre field, and he’ll know in an instant. But then there are other things—cultural things—where he’s completely clueless.”
He continued, highlighting the cultural gaps that left him bewildered: “He’s never heard of Robert De Niro, and he’s never watched a James Bond film. Most recently, I discovered he had never even listened to Fleetwood Mac. I found this absolutely exasperating.”
Clarkson also shared a humorous exchange that exemplified their differences: “He tried to argue that they were before his time. ‘Yes, but so was Mozart,’ I thundered. ‘Who’s Mozart?’ he replied.”
Despite the occasional clash, the dynamic between Clarkson and Cooper remains a key part of the show’s appeal, balancing the veteran’s experience with the younger man’s practical skills and local knowledge. Fans can expect the fifth season of Clarkson’s Farm to follow a similar pattern to previous installments, with a spring release next year.
