TV and radio regulators have hit back at Jeremy Clarkson after he claimed his Hawkstone advert was banned.
The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host purchased Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire back in 2008.
This proved to be the focus of his popular Prime Video show, Clarkson’s Farm, which documents his agricultural adventures in Chadlington.
In 2021, Mr Clarkson and the Cotswold Brew Co launched the Hawkstone brand, which now offers a range of premium British lagers, ciders and vodka.
Named after an ancient standing stone in the Cotswolds, the beer was originally made from the barley grown at Diddly Squat Farm.
As the fastest-growing beer brand in the UK, Hawkstone is also the most followed beer in the world on Instagram.
Mr Clarkson decided to create an advert for his product to be televised, featuring a 34-strong choir of real British farmers.
Issues have since arisen, with the 65-year-old claiming this week that the ad has been “banned” from broadcast on every major platform.
“It’s a cock-up, as usual,” said Mr Clarkson from his Diddly Squat Farm.
“I’ve made my biggest, most heartfelt, and frankly, most expensive advert ever, and it’s been banned.
“The fun police in their beige offices have decided that the public can’t be trusted to watch it.
“It’s been kicked off the telly, silenced on the radio, and barred from the cinema.
“Apparently, it’s ‘not compliant’. With what, I have no idea. Common sense?”
It transpires that the ad, which featured the use of profanity throughout, had not in fact been banned.
Both RadioCentre, the regulator that deals with pre-air Radio adverts in the UK, and Clearcast, the same but for TV adverts, told LadBible that they received the advert for review.
A spokesperson for RadioCentre said: “We are happy to confirm that an ad for Hawkstone Lager has not been submitted to RadioCentre for clearance.
“This means we have not assessed it against the BCAP code or advised on whether it was suitable for broadcast on radio.”
A spokesperson for Clearcast said: “This particular ad has not been submitted to us for clearance.
“This means we have not assessed it against the BCAP code or advised on whether it was suitable for broadcast on TV.”
Mr Clarkson showed the advert to a crowd at the VIP Hawkstone Summer Party at his Cotswolds pub, The Farmer’s Dog, on Monday (July 14).
The event also featured a live performance on stage from the choir of farmers in addition to this.
