‘I worked on Clarkson’s farm – here’s what Jeremy Clarkson is really like off camera

Harriet Cowan has spoken candidly about working with Jeremy Clarkson when cameras stop rolling, as she prepares to reunite with her Clarkson’s Farm co-stars at The Great British Farm Fest

Clarkson’s Farm star Harriet Cowan has revealed what Jeremy Clarkson is truly like behind the scenes. The 25-year-old farmer joined the Amazon Prime programme last year when her colleague Kaleb Cooper was forced to pull out of filming to complete his UK tour. She swiftly became a fan favourite on the reality programme, introducing Jeremy Clarkson to TikTok and never hesitating to challenge him while working on the Oxfordshire farm.

Though she departed the programme at the series’ conclusion, she has since flourished, evolving from Jeremy’s farm worker to establishing herself as a freelance farmer. But what is the former Top Gear host genuinely like as an employer? Well, blonde bombshell Harriet is poised to reconnect with her former co-stars later this month at The Great British Farm Fest, which combines serious agricultural expertise with large-scale entertainment.

Ahead of her appearance, the reality star said: “I know what a lot of people think about him: that he’s very opinionated and says what he wants and isn’t nice to people. But when you actually get to know him, he’s completely different; he’s such a nice bloke. The first day I got there, he said, ‘If you need anything, just come and knock on the door, I’m always here,’ because he knew I was two-and-a-half hours away from home.

“Even now, he will keep in touch, and if I ever need any advice about fame, because that’s the world we live in now, he’s always there to give it to me, which is really nice.” On the candid farming programme, audiences gain a glimpse into agricultural life at Diddly Squat Farm and Jeremy’s relationship with his long-term partner, Lisa Hogan.

When looking back on her time working in Chipping Norton, Cowan emphasised Irish model Lisa’s crucial role in maintaining the farm’s operations during challenging periods. “I always say that Lisa is pretty much the life and soul of the party,” she gushed, reports the Express.

“If the farm’s having a bad day, like it rained all day and you’re down in the dumps, Lisa will definitely cheer you up. Whereas Jeremy is known for his wacky ideas and schemes that he thinks are going to help the farm.

“It’s a hard place to work farming, but Lisa is the light and the energy of that farm; she brings the fun. Obviously, Jeremy, in his own way, has a laugh with you, and he loves all his inventions. But I think he likes the contrast between his way and Lisa’s way; they really make it work.”

Lisa’s upbeat nature is desperately needed at the Oxfordshire farm, as the team has faced numerous significant setbacks to the enterprise in recent years. In his latest column in The Sunday Times, he confessed: “We know for a fact we won’t make money on wheat and barley.

“Last month, when I would normally be out in the fields planting the spring barley and the durum wheat, Cheerful Charlie, my land agent and all-round font of wisdom, told me that this year there’s absolutely no point, because even if the weather is perfect and I make no mistakes, we are guaranteed to lose money. It is a mathematical certainty.”

These massive financial blows to working farms have compelled numerous businesses to shut down due to soaring living costs and insufficient government backing. Over the past 12 months, the Office for National Statistics recorded 6,365 agricultural businesses closing, the highest figure since quarterly records began in 2017.

Despite the hardships that accompany the profession, Cowan maintained that she wouldn’t change it for anything and expressed gratitude to Jeremy for enabling her to pursue her aspirations. She enthused: “After the show, I just decided to follow my dreams and do the things that I enjoy, which are farming and doing my social media.

“One day, I hope to own my own farm, and that’s something which I wouldn’t have been able to do if it weren’t for Jeremy and the show. I’m so incredibly grateful.”

If you would like to meet the cast of Clarkson’s Farm as well as several stars from TV and radio, grab your tickets for The Great British Farm Fest via their website.