Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in one of the most emotional moments ever shown on Clarkson’s Farm.
The former Top Gear and The Grand Tour star shared the devastating news in the final episodes of season five, filmed between late 2024 and September 2025. Viewers watched as an emotional Clarkson told his stunned co-stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland that he had been living with the diagnosis since May.
During a conversation about the upcoming harvest, Clarkson suddenly dropped the bombshell.
“Yep. I’ve got cancer,” he told them.
A shocked Kaleb immediately replied: “No, you haven’t. Where?”
Clarkson answered: “Where it is of no concern of anybody. I’ve known since May.”
The 66-year-old later explained that he had undergone a biopsy and discovered he was suffering from an “aggressive” form of cancer, although doctors had caught it at an early stage.
“I had a medical, you remember back in May. I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy and it is cancer and it’s aggressive, but it’s really early,” he said.
“I was praying we could get the harvest done and then I could go and get some treatment but it’s going to be slap bang in the middle.”
A visibly emotional Kaleb, wiping away tears, immediately offered his support.
“Look after yourself, you go and do… if you need anything you just ring me,” he told Clarkson.
The presenter revealed that he would need surgery during harvest season and admitted he was unhappy about being forced to step away while recovering.
Charlie Ireland also rallied around his friend, telling him: “I just wish you a very, very speedy recovery.”
Despite the diagnosis, Clarkson remained determined to focus on the future and praised doctors for detecting the illness early.
“If I hadn’t have got myself checked out and they hadn’t caught the problem early this could well have been my last harvest,” he said.
“It’s only because they did catch it early there’s any hope. I’ll be harvesting this farm for many, many years to come.”
Clarkson underwent surgery in London on August 4 after receiving only six days’ notice. Before leaving the farm, he nervously told Kaleb: “I’ll see you on the flip side.”
Later episodes showed the TV star back in a hospital bed after complications arose following treatment.
“Some of the treatment has gone awry, let’s say. I’m going to be here for a little while,” he said.
“I’m nil by mouth, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
The series then ended with an emotional message to viewers.
“What I wanted to say was if this is all successful I’ll see you for season six and if it isn’t I won’t. Take care everyone.”
Ahead of the episodes being released, Clarkson warned fans that they would be difficult to watch.
“Ordinarily we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful, but the final two episodes… they’re none of those things really, they’re a difficult watch,” he said in an emotional Instagram video.
Becoming visibly upset, he added: “They’re really, really difficult.”
The cancer diagnosis came after another major health scare in 2024, when Clarkson was rushed to hospital with severe chest pains and discovered one of his arteries was completely blocked.
Doctors later inserted a stent and warned him that he had been “days from death.”
Reflecting on that frightening ordeal in an earlier episode of season five, Clarkson joked in his trademark style: “I’m back and not dead. The grim reaper will have to wait. It was f***ing close, though.”
Although production on season six of Clarkson’s Farm is expected to pause while he recovers, Prime Video has already confirmed that the hit series will return.
