Television personality and farmer Jeremy Clarkson has revealed a double heartbreak today, sharing the devastating loss of one of his puppies—just hours after announcing a major crisis at his beloved Diddly Squat Farm.
The Clarkson’s Farm star, 65, spoke candidly about the turbulent past 24 hours during a live interview with Times Radio host Peter Cardwell. Clarkson, visibly shaken, admitted that this has been one of the toughest weeks of his farming career, following confirmation of a Bovine Tuberculosis outbreak among his cattle—an event that has forced the farm into a mandatory two-month lockdown.
Describing the gut-wrenching moment he received the news, Jeremy explained:
“It’s awful, it is awful. You have a test every six months on the cows and then you sort of become blasé about it. It’s always a theoretical risk—until suddenly it’s not. The vet looked up yesterday at lunchtime and said, ‘I’m really sorry, this one’s failed.’”
That single failed test triggered an immediate lockdown, bringing the entire cattle operation at Diddly Squat Farm to a halt. Clarkson, who runs the Oxfordshire farm alongside local farming expert Kaleb Cooper, expressed his frustration and sadness:
“That means we’re now locked down and it’s just dreadful, absolutely dreadful.”
But the emotional strain didn’t end there.
Barely a day after learning of the TB outbreak, Jeremy faced another crushing blow.
“It’s not even been 24 hours since I found out about the TB and it’s been on my mind constantly. And then this morning, I got up to find one of my puppies had died.”
Trying to keep his composure, he continued:
“And now we’ve got a very sickly calf on top of everything else. Honestly? Farming? I’m not enjoying it this week.”
Despite the dire circumstances, Jeremy was quick to clarify that the Diddly Squat farm shop would remain open.
“The shop’s unaffected,” he confirmed. “It’s only the cows that are impacted by the lockdown. But the farm itself? It’ll certainly be closed for two months. That’s how long we have to wait before we’re allowed to test again.”
In a deeply emotional post on Instagram, Jeremy’s partner Lisa Hogan also opened up about the family’s grief following the death of their puppy, Mr Grey. The post included a poignant video showing the puppy’s mother lying silently beside her remaining litter, visibly distressed by the loss of her pup.
Lisa gently comforted the grieving dog in the video, whispering softly:
“Sad news this morning. Mr Grey has gone to fur and feather land.”
“Poor Mr Grey, I’m sorry darling,” she added, gently stroking the mother’s ears.
The video sparked an outpouring of sympathy from fans and Clarkson’s Farm viewers. One user wrote, “Awww bless her [crying emoji] My boy had a green collar when we got him, this takes me back. Fox reds are the best.” (sic)
Another commented: “Aw I’m so sorry… poor Mum, she looks so sad. Take care, all of you. It’s so harsh bringing puppies into the world… huge hugs x.” (sic)
“That’s soooo sad. Bless her and all of you for your continued efforts to take care of them,” said a third viewer, while another added: “Oh no… this is so upsetting [crying emoji] Poor girlie xx.” (sic)
Clarkson’s unfiltered honesty and vulnerability continue to resonate with audiences, many of whom have followed his farming journey since Clarkson’s Farm premiered on Prime Video. What started as a passion project has evolved into a candid and often emotional window into the real challenges of rural life.
Jeremy Clarkson’s full interview can be listened to via Times Radio, and Clarkson’s Farm is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
