Jeremy Clarkson, the well-known television presenter, didn’t hold back his disappointment after his Hawkstone lager was passed over by Lord’s Cricket Ground in favor of Italian beer Peroni for a lucrative three-year contract. In a strikingly unconventional response, Clarkson referenced a 1975 campaign for justice surrounding bank robber George Davis to express his displeasure.
Clarkson, 66, voiced his frustration with a pointed remark: “I have two words for you: George Davis.” This allusion recalls the notorious wrongful conviction of Davis, which sparked widespread public protests and graffiti declarations of his innocence across Britain.
The reference hits particularly close to home within the cricketing world because, in August 1975, George Davis supporters famously disrupted The Ashes Test at Headingley by vandalizing the pitch, leading to the match’s abandonment. While Clarkson isn’t expected to go to such lengths, he hinted at a symbolic act: “We might just have a message about them in tar on the pitch, not that I’m bitter or anything.”
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Hawkstone lager, launched in 2021, is crafted from barley grown on Clarkson’s own Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire. Originally sold exclusively through his farm shop, it has since expanded online and into supermarkets. The brand has been promoted through inventive marketing, including forming the Hawkstone Choir, which appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.
Despite producing multiple commercials, some were banned by the Advertising Standards Authority due to explicit language used by Clarkson. However, a new advert featuring Clarkson’s sidekick Kaleb Cooper—a stunt-filled showcase comparing Kaleb to Tom Cruise—is set to air on ITV before England’s World Cup opener against Croatia.
Clarkson emphasized his belief that English fans should drink an English brew while supporting their team: “Supporting England with a glass of Peroni in your hand feels wrong to me. If you are supporting England you should have a Hawkstone in your hand.”