Jeremy Clarkson hits back at Packham over farm remarks
Jeremy Clarkson has hit back after Chris Packham criticised the opening sequence of Clarkson's Farm on Celebrity Gogglebox, calling the naturalist's claims about modern farming untrue. The spat has drawn sharp reactions from farmers, while Vernon Kay separately praised Packham as "one of the best."
Key Takeaways
- Packham said the Clarkson's Farm animation did not reflect most farms, citing monocultures, chemicals and indoor livestock.
- Clarkson dismissed the remarks in his Sun column, noting the sequence was "a drawing" and recalling Packham's 2012 visit to Diddly Squat.
- Farmers and countryside voices criticised Packham online; Clarkson's Farm co-star Harriet Cowan also pushed back on TikTok.
- Vernon Kay later called Packham "one of the best" while promoting the BBC Two series Evolution.
What did Chris Packham say about Clarkson's Farm?
On Celebrity Gogglebox, Packham watched the illustrated opening sequence of Amazon Prime's Clarkson's Farm and argued it was unrealistic.
"That's not what a farm looks like. Most farms are horrible monocultures which have been sprayed with deadly chemicals… the ground has been pumped full of fertiliser and most of the animals are indoors, in crates, being crushed and kept in the dark," he said, according to Farmers Weekly.
Commentary later noted Packham's critique targeted industrial-scale farming more than Clarkson's Cotswolds farm itself. He did not focus on specific practices at Diddly Squat when making the remarks.
How did Jeremy Clarkson respond to the comments?
In his Sun column, Clarkson described Packham as "endlessly angry" and said the Winnie the Pooh-style opening credits were simply "a drawing."
He recalled Packham visiting Diddly Squat in 2012 for birdwatching and foraging, arguing the naturalist would have raised concerns then if animals had been kept in the conditions he described.
According to the Evening Standard, Clarkson dismissed the claims as untrue and said such talk might play well at a vegan activist meeting but "didn't play well at all" on television.
Why has the farming community reacted so strongly?
Instagram users accused Packham of pushing a "hateful agenda," insisting most farms are not monocultures and rejecting his description of livestock conditions.
The Countryside Alliance's Mo Metcalf-Fisher praised Clarkson's Farm for showcasing modern farming and the work farmers do to produce food while caring for the countryside. Agricultural commentator @agrispec_tom argued Packham ignored decades of progress in animal welfare, environmental management and production efficiency.
Harriet Cowan, a Clarkson's Farm co-star, posted on TikTok: "Chris Packham. Maybe before throwing shade at all farmers, research your facts. What world are you living in?"
For more viral disputes and public fallout stories, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries coverage.
What did Vernon Kay say amid the Jeremy Clarkson row?
Days later, BBC Radio 2's Vernon Kay praised Packham while discussing Evolution, the naturalist's new BBC Two series, which Kay and Paddy McGuinness watched for Celebrity Gogglebox.
"It's cracking. It's a great show. Chris Packham – one of the best, isn't he?" Kay said on his breakfast show, calling the evolution programme fascinating.
Opinion in The i Paper argued Clarkson's fiery Sun response undercut the warmer image cultivated on Clarkson's Farm, suggesting the latest outburst echoed earlier controversies rather than the show's more reflective recent tone.