Jeremy Clarkson has revealed the identity of his long-time celebrity crush, admitting that he still becomes visibly nervous whenever he finds himself in the same room as the Hollywood actress.
The former Top Gear and The Grand Tour presenter, who now spends much of his time at Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire, made the personal admission in his latest Sunday Times column. Clarkson, 66, has become as closely associated with farming as he once was with fast cars, thanks to the success of Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video.
The series, filmed largely at his Chadlington farm, has turned Diddly Squat into one of the most recognisable rural locations in Britain. Alongside the farm itself, Clarkson has also expanded his countryside business interests with The Farmer’s Dog pub in Asthall, which opened in 2024 and quickly became another point of public fascination for fans of the show.
With four seasons of Clarkson’s Farm already released and widely followed by viewers, attention is now turning to the fifth season, which is due to arrive on Prime Video on June 3. But away from the cameras, Clarkson continues to write his regular columns, where he often mixes opinion, humour and personal reflections.
This week, his column took an unexpected turn when he responded to remarks made by Dame Kristin Scott Thomas about food. The actress had reportedly suggested that French produce is superior to British produce, a claim that Clarkson, now deeply invested in British farming, was never likely to accept quietly.
However, his disagreement came with a complication. Clarkson admitted that Dame Kristin is not simply another public figure whose comments he wanted to challenge. Instead, he described her as his ultimate celebrity crush, explaining that his admiration for her has lasted for years.
Clarkson wrote that he watches every film she appears in repeatedly and suggested that his fondness for her makes it unusually difficult for him to argue against anything she says. The broadcaster then revealed that, whenever they meet through mutual friends, he becomes awkward and anxious.
He recalled one particularly uncomfortable encounter at a theatre, where he saw the actress during the interval and, in a moment of nerves, asked what she was doing there. Her response made the moment even more embarrassing, as she simply explained that she had come to see the play. Clarkson said the exchange left him feeling intensely flustered.
The confession offered fans a rare glimpse of Clarkson in a less combative and more self-conscious mood. Known for his blunt remarks and confident television persona, he admitted that Dame Kristin has the unusual ability to leave him tongue-tied.
He also joked that one of the happiest moments of his life came when the actress followed him on Instagram. That happiness, however, did not last. Clarkson said the moment she later unfollowed him became one of his saddest memories.
The admission adds a lighter personal detail to Clarkson’s busy public life. In recent years, his profile has shifted from motoring presenter to farmer, pub owner and rural commentator. Clarkson’s Farm has followed his attempts to run Diddly Squat through difficult weather, rising costs, planning disputes and the constant challenges of modern agriculture.
The show has also introduced viewers to several fan favourites, including Kaleb Cooper, Charlie Ireland, Lisa Hogan and Gerald Cooper. Its mix of humour, frustration and genuine farming pressure has made it one of Prime Video’s most talked-about British factual entertainment series.
Season five is expected to continue that story, with new episodes focusing on the next stage of Clarkson’s farming journey. Yet this latest column shows that, even as his rural empire grows, Clarkson still has room for the kind of awkward celebrity confession that fans rarely see from him on screen.
For viewers used to seeing him argue with councils, wrestle with farm machinery or defend British produce, the idea of Clarkson becoming nervous around a Hollywood actress offers a very different image: a broadcaster who may be fearless in print, but not quite so fearless when face to face with Kristin Scott Thomas.
