‘It’s preposterous’ rages Jeremy Clarkson hits back after being accused of ‘trying to annoy ramblers’ near his farm
JEREMY Clarkson has been forced to defend himself over allegations that he has deliberately placed beehives next to a public footpath.
Diddly Squat farm is home to over 250,000 bees, a decision the Clarkson’s Farm star made because they are essential pollinators important to the ecosystem.
Jeremy, 64, has clapped back at claims that he has been “strategically” erecting beehives behind a five-foot hedge close to the public footpath to keep walkers away.
The Grand Tour star shut down the “hilarious” claims on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Hilariously, the Mail reports that ramblers are being stung by my bees.
“It’s preposterous. We have hives all over the farm. The idea I’ve positioned them deliberately to annoy ramblers is mad.”
He continued, explaining: “I put some bee hives there because that’s the regen field and there are many things they like to pollinate. And now I’m in trouble because someone might get stung. Who’d be a farmer?”
The Clarkson’s Farm star spoke about the issue again in his column for The Sun this week.
“I have bee hives all over the farm – placed not to deter Liberal Democrats but because the plants growing nearby are suitable,” he explained.
But he also issued a fresh warning to his critics.
“What they haven’t realised is that next to another footpath about a mile away, I have a sodding great bull called Endgame.
“And if you annoy him, he won’t sting you. He will turn you into pate,” he joked.
“In short, the countryside is full of dangers. If you don’t like that, go to a water park instead,” Jeremy concluded.
A Hollywood icon inspired the TV presenter to have bees on his farm
Jeremy has had bees on his Diddly Squat farm since 2020, following in the footsteps of Hollywood icon Morgan Freeman, who created a bee sanctuary on his own property
Explaining how he was inspired by the actor to The Sunday Times Mag, he said: “Everyone likes Morgan Freeman.
“And now everyone likes him a little bit more because we learnt recently that he’s turned his 124-acre Mississippi estate into a sanctuary for honeybees.
Meet the cast of Clarkson's Farm
Clarkson's Farm began streaming in 2021 and follows Jeremy Clarkson and his team managing Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds. Here's a 'who's who' of faces in the Clarkson's Farm cast.
- Jeremy Clarkson: Presenter and journalist; also known for Top Gear, The Grand Tour and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
- Lisa Hogan: A former actress and Jeremy’s partner, who assists in the running of the farm shop.
- Kaleb Cooper: A young farm worker from Chipping Norton, who forms a double act with Jeremy on-screen. He’s later promoted to farm manager in series three.
- Gerald Cooper: Specialist in the construction and maintenance of dry stone walls and the farm’s “head of security”. Of no relation to Kaleb.
- Charlie Ireland: Nicknamed “Cheerful Charlie”, a professional land agent who advises Jeremy on land management.
“The bee is the cornerstone of everything.
“It is the planet’s keystone species. And for the past few years, in Europe, its numbers have been dropping at an alarming rate.
“Which is why I have stepped in and done a Morgan.
“I’ve decided that my farm should be bee-friendly,” Jeremy revealed.
While the former Top Gear star has admitted to being stung by his bees a few times, he believes the positives of having them on his farm are more important.