Jeremy Clarkson Amused After Being Called “Incompetent” by a Chinese Tourist at His Diddly Squat Farm Shop
Jeremy Clarkson, the former Top Gear host turned Cotswolds farmer, has once again found humor in unexpected criticism. The 65-year-old TV presenter revealed that a Chinese visitor recently labeled him “incompetent” during a trip to his now-famous Diddly Squat Farm Shop — an encounter he described as “tremendous.”
Clarkson, whose hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm has made him one of Britain’s most unlikely agricultural ambassadors, said he has noticed a growing number of Chinese fans visiting both his show’s filming locations and the farm shop itself. Curious about the interest, he asked one tourist why viewers in China were so captivated by his series.
“The answer was tremendous,” Clarkson wrote in his Sunday Times column. “They said, ‘It’s because we can’t believe how incompetent you are.’”
He went on to joke that in China, audiences are used to watching “stories of successful people doing things well,” so seeing “a fat man messing everything up” offers a refreshing change of pace.
Despite the backhanded compliment, Clarkson took the comment in stride — and even seemed delighted by the cultural contrast that has helped his show find global appeal.
The Clarkson’s Farm star added that the popularity of his show among Chinese viewers hasn’t gone unnoticed by more official circles either. “We recently hosted a Chinese agricultural delegation who were on a fact-finding mission in the UK,” he said. “So plainly the high-ups are interested in what we’re up to. Very interested, in fact.”
During the visit, Clarkson gave the delegation a tour of his property, including a look inside one of his modern hen houses. “It may look like a miniature Romany caravan,” he said, “but inside it’s all quite high-tech.”
Known for blending self-deprecating humor with genuine admiration for the farming community, Clarkson has used Clarkson’s Farm to highlight the challenges faced by British farmers — from government regulations to unpredictable weather and rising costs.
And while some foreign visitors might see him as hilariously unskilled, Clarkson’s entrepreneurial success suggests otherwise. His Diddly Squat Farm Shop continues to draw long queues, often stretching around the block, with fans eager to buy local produce, honey, jams, and his now-famous Hawkstone Lager.
As ever, Jeremy Clarkson appears undeterred by critics — even those who cross continents to call him “incompetent.” For him, it seems, there’s no better compliment than being entertainingly human.