It's a great series.
Like him or not it's a far more honest look into farming than the usual fluffy country file take on it.
I'm conflicted because I enjoyed the first series and would almost certainly enjoy the second series, but I don't really want to support his raging misogyny so I guess not watching it is my tiny tiny tiny protest.
Clarkson and his place in the British psyche is deeply annoying as he can be a very thoughtful and empathetic communicator, the few history documentaries he did a decade or so ago were excellent and somewhere in the multiverse there's a reality where he left TG to focus on that and is now a respected national treasure.
Sadly, the need to pay the bills means he's now very much trapped inside his own creation of a boorish pantomine oaf who's every proclamation is taken far too seriously by the 'Jezza 4 PM' crowd. Who worship the very ground he walks on because he gives them a permission structure for them to express their own lazy bigotry,
Sometimes I almost feel sorry for him, then I go for a ride with the kids and remember what he's said about cyclists over the years as idiots in Range Rovers squeeze past an 8 year old and a 10 year old rather than waiting a few seconds to pass safely..
Watched it and enjoyed it. You really have to feel for him in his dealings with the council. There is a real feel of 'well if it's Clarkson we will reject it' without any thought for the reality of the situation and the benefits that his schemes could bring.
Having been on the wrong end of similar decisions from a different council because an influential councillor didn't like me or my family, regardless of the harm that rejection would cause to the community at large. I can tell you that the council meeting that was filmed was very true to life.
Local politics is full of NIMBYs and small grey men (and some women) on power trips.
You really have to feel for him in his dealings with the council. There is a real feel of ‘well if it’s Clarkson we will reject it’ without any thought for the reality of the situation and the benefits that his schemes could bring.
No I don't have to feel sorry for him.
He's a **** of the first water.
You really have to feel for him in his dealings with the council
Not really. Given his os screen persona he is probably deliberately provocative and decides its good for his PR to propose all sorts of things he doesnt actually want to do to appeal to his supporters
Likewise a bit torn. I think he's a bellend of the highest order but the stuff he's doing to highlight the problems in farming is brilliant and the programme is very watchable to anyone familiar with farming or those who haven't a clue. I work work on our neighbours farm regularly and have contact with lots of farmers in the area - I've not heard one of them say a bad thing about the show yet - they all love it because it's telling folk how bloody hard it is to make farming work.
Local politics is full of NIMBYs and small grey men (and some women) on power trips.
Who, ironically are the precise audience JC's antics are aimed at, overwhelmingly white, older, think owning a V8 Jaaaaaaag constitutes a personality and don't want any tractors/cyclists/poor people holding them up on their way home from the pub.
I enjoyed it
Likewise a bit torn. I think he’s a bellend of the highest order but the stuff he’s doing to highlight the problems in farming is brilliant and the programme is very watchable to anyone familiar with farming or those who haven’t a clue. I work work on our neighbours farm regularly and have contact with lots of farmers in the area – I’ve not heard one of them say a bad thing about the show yet – they all love it because it’s telling folk how bloody hard it is to make farming work.
Similar to my thoughts, although i haven't actually watched the series, just little bits here and there, will do sometime this year, but i do struggle to work out what the goal is for Clarkson, he has more money than he'd ever be able to spend, years of earning and then Amazon giving him buckets of the stuff, i don't think it's money, fame or adoration he's after, it really seems like a project he's doing that isn't directly about benefiting him, maybe a life's ambition, love or whatever, haven't a clue, but he does seem to be fighting hard (well shouting loud maybe) for little things.
As previous though, Clarkson is someone who tends to be reasonable in certain scenario's, such as Brexit, farming, etc, then he goes into his weird persona for other things, says stupid things to get attention and just isn't clever enough to play the long game in a lot of that, he's no Piers Morgan in that game, which probably is a good thing for him!
it’s a far more honest look into farming than the usual fluffy country file take on it.
Countryfile makes no bones about the issues facing farmers across the UK, especially in the marginal areas like hill farmers. Adam has pointed out the issues he faces with rising costs on his farm, doing comparisons with a neighbouring farm who uses different methods to see if the results improve productivity with reduced costs, which was the case; however, changing established methods comes with costs of their own, as he was quite open about.
I haven’t watched Clarkson’s series, I’ve got more things I want to watch than I have time available for already.
Despite being aware of just how much of a knob Clarkson is I'm finding the series easily as enjoyable as the first and very informative. I certainly sounds like some little Hitler(s) in the local council has it in for him.
Countryfile has to be one of BBC TV worst programmes, Adam definitely doesn't look like a hard up farmer and like the rest of the presenters very patronising and why do they still give old grey head John Craven a few shifts, if he was female he'd have been punted 25 or more years ago
Landward is a bit more down to earth no pun intended
I think it's a great illustration that, just because you don't like somebody, or they often do/say things you don't agree with - you shouldn't automatically dismiss everything they do/say. Goes the other way too obviously.
I'm finding the grand tour increasingly unwatchable, and his piece on Megan was vile. But Clarkson's farm is excellent.
I do think the lambing shed was made with the express intention of turning it into a restaurant - but I also think that the local council/whoever are being utterly ridiculous in not allowing a car-park. I thought they would make more of the local farmer's cooperative needing the shop/restaurant - as that surely the best way to shut down nimbyism from the local residents.
I was left feeling that effective diversification is going to be the name of the game for British farming, but that's not just a magic word - you actually have to support farmers to do that.
NJA
Full MemberWatched it and enjoyed it. You really have to feel for him in his dealings with the council. There is a real feel of ‘well if it’s Clarkson we will reject it’ without any thought for the reality of the situation and the benefits that his schemes could bring.
There's a big bit of reap what you sew here- he's got previous for abusing loopholes (and boasting about it in the press), and of breaking promises/commitments made in the planning applications, so the rejection isn't just about the new application. Like Batfink says, they built the shed in 2020 with the pretty obvious intention of "converting" it and planning people hate that sort of shenanigans.
I think it’s a great illustration that, just because you don’t like somebody, or they often do/say things you don’t agree with – you shouldn’t automatically dismiss everything they do/say.
Maybe not but I won't be watching the **** or supporting him by watching him. I can live with missing out on anything he does that is good.
I think it’s a great illustration that, just because you don’t like somebody, or they often do/say things you don’t agree with
There's saying things I don't agree with and being a vile, misogynistic, racist person, the two are very different.
Anything with Led Zeppelin at the end is fine by me...
I take it for what it is and reading too much into it, would be a mistake.
JeZ
Well just finished this season. Thoroughly enjoyed it, yeah it’s staged a bit there was even a joke about that. However, he’s still showing the issues with farming and mentions how he’s fortunate that he has large income outside farming. It may help as it’s such a nostalgia trip for me helping out in my grandparents farm, especially so soon after losing my gran. Had some amazing times on the farms, learning wildlife, high work ethics and enjoying life.
I enjoyed this one too, despite him being a knob.
I think the amount of direct abuse deloved by Caleb helps.
Bit torn on the Council Nazis, torn between them being painted that way, and personal experience of both exactly that type of person, and in the Cotswolds just a few mile from Ckarkson Farm.
I'm enjoying the series so far (I'm up to about ep6)...
I also live and run a business (small village shop) in the Cotswolds and I have to say I'm split over the council's planning decisions. I agree with them that the cafe / restaurant should have been refused, although the buisness plan is sound the reasoning for it's location and planning app was not. Every village, town in the area is filled with sites that could be used for his venture into a restaurant. In fact it'll probably do far better in central Oxford than it would on Diddle Squat. He seems set on creating a mini Clarkson Land tourist destination rather tha actually creating the buisness he's says he wants.
However the following application refusal for the carpark was an obvious obstruction, but I'd guess based on his previous conduct with planning, and subsequent rule bending.<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> I find the way the the 'farm shop' is run increasingly frustrating, the principal is great, the execution is not - hence planning enforcement having to be involved.</span>
His buisness ethics are all over the place, saying one thing and doing another - specifically the way the shop is run and his attitude towards nature Vs farming.
If Diddly Squat aka Clarkson Land, was closer to where I live, I'd expect he'd have exactly the same reactions from the locals and planners.
The show it self is great though, but the man is still a knob.
the irony is that given I cant see Clarkson being likely to support labour then the councillors he despises are probably the ones he votes for assuming he bothers to vote.
I'd love to watch it, but being a small family farmer my disposable income won't stretch to an Amazon Prime subscription for the purtpose of watching 1 series. 😉
the irony is that given I cant see Clarkson being likely to support labour then the councillors he despises are probably the ones he votes for assuming he bothers to vote.
I just looked up the councillors in that meeting, having watched the episode last night - the lady and gentlemen that was supportive are both lib-dem I think, and the rest that refused, that I could identify from there council mug shots, including chair of the meeting, are conservative.
The thing I found frustrating about series one was Stratton Parker's involvement as Land Management consultants - the fees for which a re huge, most farmers wouldn't need them or be able to afford them - so if you took their fees out of the equation, he'd have been 150k in profit in year one.
Enjoyed Series 1 for what it was - 'Top Gear In the Country' - lots of fake cock-ups and staged content.
I have been a big fan of Clarkson for many years, but I must admit his latest behaviour has gone too far and he has almost become a parody of himself and his irreverence has tipped into the plain offensive. I was therefore quite reluctant to watch Series 2.
Nevertheless, I did over the last couple of evenings having read this thread.
Felt like an altogether more humble, genuine underdog story and I thought he came across well. Bit of a return to form where he reigned in his tendency to be controversial for the fun of it. If he picks his battles well and uses his fame to highlight idiot behaviour (the planning meeting scene was a classic gathering of 'people I wouldn't want to meet'), then I think he is in his groove.
Anybody battling burocracy, nimbyism and the total lack of any post-Brexit agricultural strategy by this sh1tshow of a government have my total support and sympathy.
Clearly the revenue from the show gives him the luxury of throwing money at problems and equipment that the average farmer simply could not afford to do, but it does highlight the issues facing the farming community in a relatable way that nobody else seems to be doing outside the industry itself.
That's it from me, I'm off to (accidentally) run over/shoot a few badgers!
I've watched the whole series now and enjoyed it more and more. There are moments where you see a genuine man, a caring man, a kind man, a frustrated man and not too much of the usual idiot. I agree with solarider, between the government and the local bunch of NIMBY, a farmer in the uk faces a ridiculous up hill struggle with no support and Clarkson has highlighted that.
Really like Kaleb and Charlie and seeing them and Clarkson build more and more respect for each other.
Jeremy Clarkson is OK
Jezza is a festering cock socket
When his heart us in it he's qn excellent presenter/journalist. Like the 2 ww2 documentaries he did. Both excellent
HOWEVER
He's trapped in some loop where he's a parody of himself. It's like he's john Culshaw playing Clarkson. It's a Shame.
I do like the program however
Really like Kaleb and Charlie and seeing them and Clarkson build more and more respect for each other.
maybe just me that saw the change in kaleb this series? i thought to myself that he's getting a bit more gobby/sweary for effect on tv, happy to go further afield than his own back yard/farm now, having his hair prepped for awards.....
my wife says he also got a book out now which seems so far removed from the kaleb of series 1.
you heard it here first, he'll soon be on chat shows, im a celeb, playing the loveable ignorant farmer in a joey essex stylee...."shirley bassey? oos thaaat then?"
I do slightly wonder why if he can’t have the restaurant, why he and the farmers’ coop not go into partnership with some local pub.
But maybe that wouldn’t be able to trade on the Diddly Squat name?
I enjoyed it but I did think s2 was less enjoyable than the first one - far more visibly plotted. Every interaction with an outside agency was obviously carefully planned in advance and moved towards the scripted outcome. When he mandolined his thumb was probably the only really spontaneous incident ( sorry if that's a spoiler!).
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">I do slightly wonder why if he can’t have the restaurant, why he and the farmers’ coop not go into partnership with some local pub.</span>
100% this ☝️, it'll be easier, cheaper & quicker to just open or buy an existing restaurant or pub locally to Diddly Squat than it would have been to go down the route he did. Charlie would have told him this, just it wouldn't make good TV or expand the mini Jeremy Clarkson Land he's got going on. He'd have had less outlay, an established building with facilities and a separate car park. And none of the compounding issues associated with the shop and farm.
Apparently he's recently put in appeals against the carpark and farm track rulings. I'm sure the restaurant conception was part of the TV deal for series 2. Series 3 may as well be planning a applications for a theme park.
Buying a pub in that area would be harder than you think it's a very posh part of the wolds. I was working down there the other day it's my work patch and some of the London locals are very special indeed.
Season 3 will at least highlight how shafted farmers are and have been for a good while. I'm glad Clarkson is doing farming tv even if he can be a prat.
Buying a pub in that area would be harder than you think it’s a very posh part of the wolds. I was working down there the other day it’s my work patch and some of the London locals are very special indeed.
I live not so far from there - 5 out of 6 of our local pubs are currently, or have been up for sale in the last 12 months, 2 recently changed hands.
Interestingly we were watching the last episode today and Charlie was saying pretty much the same thing - other farmers might see this and think there’s a way they could do it too, even if it’s just over the summer. Thought it was well known that the pub industry was in trouble too, especially in areas where people have to drive to get there.
The chap who caused most of the problems with planning has a name that strongly suggests he’s an incomer too - sort of name you’d associate with the posher bits of Edinburgh…
I don't think we've done this yet....
The relaxing of the rules around farm buildings is a shocking idea that hardly any farmers will benefit from. Living rurally and running a rural shop, there are no farmers in my area that would have the funding to do this or the time or staff or most importantly the knowledge. Only the large estates and land owners would be able. Even then they are not retailers, you may as well tell all retailers that they can become farmers.....
It's government propaganda to please the viewers.
Jeremy is complaining again, and rightly so.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24053419.jeremy-clarkson-admits-screwed-diddly-squat-farm/
The farm side of the business is 'screwed' apparently. However no mention In his article about how profitable the seasonal tourist attraction he's set up is.
Who'd be a farmer
I like Harry's plan.
Plant some grass, sit back and get a guaranteed income by doing nothing.
We can eat grass, can't we?
I was pretty staggered by Harry's profit in a good year.
depends on how much he's paying himself or family in wages as to what the 'profit' is surely?
