Oxfordshire farmer and television personality Jeremy Clarkson has given his thoughts after online discussions surfaced suggesting that he should be considered for a knighthood.
Clarkson, 65, has long been a household name in Britain and far beyond thanks to his decades of work on motoring programmes. Alongside James May and Richard Hammond, he became a global figure through the BBC’s Top Gear, and later The Grand Tour on Prime Video, both of which cemented his reputation as a larger-than-life broadcaster.
Outside of television, Clarkson has maintained a strong presence in print media, contributing weekly columns to both The Sun and The Sunday Times. His writing often attracts headlines for its sharp wit, blunt honesty, and controversial humour.
In more recent years, Clarkson has reinvented himself yet again, branching out from the motoring world into agriculture with the hit Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm. The show, which follows his efforts to run Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, has introduced him to a whole new audience. What began in 2008 as a personal experiment when he purchased the then-named Curdle Hill Farm has since grown into a much-loved documentary series praised for shedding light on the difficulties facing modern British farmers.
The programme’s success has led some fans to call for Clarkson to be recognised with a knighthood. Admirers argue that he has not only provided decades of entertainment but also brought national and international attention to the farming industry at a time when many feel it has been overlooked.
Recently, the idea of “Sir Jeremy Clarkson” resurfaced during an online debate. On the social media platform X, one account posed the question: “Do you think Jeremy Clarkson deserves a knighthood? Yes or no?” While some offered their support, not everyone was convinced.
One critic responded sharply: “No he doesn’t. He named his farm ‘Diddly Squat’ in reference to the amount of inheritance tax he thought he would pay, and he has made millions from the whole televised adventure. What on earth would he get a knighthood for? Personal bravery, achievement or service? To what?”
Clarkson, true to form, did not let the jab pass unanswered. With characteristic sarcasm, he replied: “Well, now steady on. I regularly put money in the lifeboat thing on bars. So there’s that.”
The exchange has reignited the debate over whether Clarkson’s contributions—whether in broadcasting, journalism, or farming—should ever earn him the title of “Sir Jeremy.” For now, however, he seems content to poke fun at the very idea.
