Jeremy Clarkson, the charismatic star of Clarkson’s Farm, has finally confessed to a secret passion he once feared would lead to social rejection and professional backlash. In his latest column for The Sun, the 66-year-old presenter admitted he had never dared discuss his bird-watching hobby in public—until recent research encouraged him to embrace it openly.
Clarkson shared, “I also have a hobby. And it’s one I’ve never dared speak about in public. Because if I did, I believed I’d be ostracised by my friends and cancelled by my bosses.” However, new studies revealed that around 750,000 people aged 16 to 29 are also into bird-watching, including women, which convinced him that his interest is both common and “cool.” He proudly declared, “My name is Jeremy Clarkson and I’m a bird-watcher.”
The presenter revealed he kept his enthusiasm under wraps even after spotting a rare great grey shrike at Diddly Squat Farm—a bird known to be territorial and migration-prone, arriving in Britain during autumn and winter months, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Clarkson admitted that discovering this bird on his farm was more thrilling than anything else he’d experienced but remained cautious about sharing his excitement publicly.
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Fortuitously, Clarkson recently met a young part-time worker at his Farm Shop who studies ornithology, providing him with a newfound companion to share his passion. The two have exchanged observations, including sightings of a corn bunting.
Despite these joyful moments, Clarkson’s farming life has faced harsh realities, exemplified by the recent death of a lamb killed by crows—a poignant reminder of the challenges inherent in farming. The incident was shared on Clarkson’s Instagram, eliciting empathy from his followers as he wrote, “Today, this lamb was killed by crows. The reality of farming.”
Through his candid admission and shared experiences, Jeremy Clarkson not only normalizes bird-watching but also humanizes the struggles behind his beloved farming life.