Jeremy Clarkson has once again stirred things up at Diddly Squat Farm — and this time, the controversy isn’t with the local council or environmental rules, but with his own right-hand man, Kaleb Cooper.
Cooper, who became an instant fan favorite when Clarkson’s Farm launched on Prime Video in 2021, has built his reputation on teaching Clarkson the hard realities of farming life. Known for his blunt honesty, quick wit, and refusal to be intimidated by the ex-Top Gear star, Cooper has gone from earning just 50 pence an hour to becoming a millionaire with his own fanbase. But now, Clarkson’s latest farming decision has left him unsettled — even worried that his job could be at risk.
The former motoring presenter revealed in an interview with The Times that he has invested in a driverless, autonomous tractor. The machine, Clarkson explained, can be left to automatically drill or roll the fields, freeing him up to tackle other farm work.
“It normally takes 20 hours with a 3m cultivator to prepare the 200 acres we use every year for growing pasta and lager,” Clarkson said. “And then it takes about 10 hours to plant the actual seeds. That’s 30 hours of me just sitting there, in a bouncy tractor, going up and down endlessly.”
He admitted that despite five years of practice, he still struggles with the basics of tractor work. “I miss bits. I cock up turns and corners. I hit gateposts and most years I bounce along for hours not realising that the hopper is empty and I’m busy planting nothing at all.”
By contrast, Clarkson pointed out, an autonomous tractor “would not make mistakes like this and it would not get bored. It doesn’t need to stop for a wee and it does not need to sleep.”
For Kaleb Cooper, however, the prospect of automation brings less excitement and more anxiety. Clarkson admitted that his young colleague is unimpressed, telling him flatly: “Kaleb hates it. He says it’ll put him out of a job.”
Clarkson responded in typical fashion, suggesting that Kaleb could take advantage of the situation. “I pointed out that if he used one, he could drive his manual tractor on another farm and get paid twice. He did agree I had a point,” Clarkson said.
The exchange highlights not just the clash of personalities between Clarkson and Cooper, but also a wider debate in farming: the role of technology and automation in an industry built on tradition, labor, and expertise.
Despite his fears about driverless tractors, Cooper’s star continues to rise. He has been named host of the New Entrant Award at the Young British Farmers Awards 2025, cementing his position as one of Britain’s most recognizable young farmers. Outside the show, his personal life is also flourishing. Cooper and his fiancée Taya share two children — Oscar, three, and Willa, one — and earlier this year announced they were expecting their third child together in August.
From humble beginnings to celebrity farmer, Cooper’s journey has been extraordinary. Yet as Clarkson’s latest gamble shows, farming is never static. With machines becoming smarter and more efficient, even fan favorites like Kaleb may find themselves facing new challenges in the fields of Chipping Norton.
