Jeremy Clarkson has said he still feels like an “imposter” hosting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, despite fronting the long-running quiz show for eight years.
The 65-year-old broadcaster, best known for his work on Top Gear, The Grand Tour and more recently Clarkson’s Farm, made the candid admission in an interview with ITV ahead of the programme’s 35th series, which returns this Sunday (February 22).
Clarkson, who now balances television work with running Diddly Squat Farm and The Farmer’s Dog pub in Oxfordshire, was asked whether he feels indebted to the show’s original host, Chris Tarrant, who launched the format in 1998 and became synonymous with its distinctive tone and catchphrases.
“Completely, and I still think it’s his show,” Clarkson said. “I am an imposter. Even though I have been doing the show for eight years, I still think of it as Chris Tarrant’s show.”
He pointed to the programme’s established language and rituals — including the famous request for silence in the studio — as hallmarks of Tarrant’s era that remain central to the show’s identity.
“There are so many things like ‘nice and quiet in the audience’ — that was all his,” Clarkson explained. “The language of the show was written by Chris, and I am just doing it.”
The comments reflect Clarkson’s awareness of the cultural weight attached to the format. Since its debut, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has become one of Britain’s most recognisable television exports, adapted in dozens of countries and responsible for some of the most memorable moments in quiz show history.
When asked why the series has endured for more than two decades, Clarkson argued that its longevity stems from its stature within the genre.
“It’s genuinely the granddaddy,” he said. “There are a number of good TV quizzes, but there is no getting away from the fact that this is the big daddy. It’s the GOAT, it’s the OG.”
He added that part of the appeal lies in its accessibility to viewers at home. Unlike fast-paced quiz formats that demand instant responses, Millionaire allows audiences to pause, deliberate and debate.
“You can play at home,” Clarkson said. “You have time to discuss with your family members and join in. On most quiz shows, you have to answer the questions as quickly as possible. With Millionaire, you can play along, and the money is huge, too.”
Clarkson also joked about his own memory, suggesting that he can rewatch episodes he recorded months earlier and experience them almost as a first-time viewer.
“I have no memory,” he said. “I could watch a show I recorded six months earlier, and I would look at it completely fresh.”
His remarks come at a time when he continues to juggle multiple ventures. In addition to presenting duties, Clarkson oversees operations at Diddly Squat Farm — the focus of the Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm — and runs The Farmer’s Dog pub, both in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds.
Despite his long tenure in the presenter’s chair, Clarkson’s insistence that he is merely a custodian of Tarrant’s creation underscores the enduring influence of the original host. As the 35th series begins, the programme remains one of ITV’s flagship entertainment formats — with Clarkson still, by his own admission, feeling like he has borrowed someone else’s seat.
