‘I’ve worked with Jeremy Clarkson — one moment in Clarkson’s Farm proved his genius’

One moment in the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm highlighted Jeremy Clarkson’s “genius”, according to his long-time colleague and Clarkson’s Farm executive producer Andy Wilman

A particular scene from the most recent series of Clarkson’s Farm showcased Jeremy Clarkson’s “genius”, as described by his veteran collaborator and the show’s executive producer, Andy Wilman.

Andy, whose partnership with Clarkson spans decades and includes steering the phenomenally successful Top Gear, now serves as executive producer on the Amazon Prime Video sensation Clarkson’s Farm. The programme documents Clarkson, 66, as he navigates the challenges of managing Diddly Squat Farm, nestled in the Cotswolds.

During an appearance on the High Performance podcast, the television industry veteran discussed the complexities of transitioning from the fast-paced realm of automotive entertainment to a programme centred on the rhythms of agricultural life.

He acknowledged initial apprehensions that the programme’s more subdued, pastoral narratives might pale in comparison to the dramatic flair of Clarkson’s previous ventures.

“We again did not see it coming, that our big worry apart from how authentic it would be is how boring it might be,” he explained, reports the Mirror.

“You know, him hitching a track trailer up when we’ve done Minis going down ski jumps with rockets on them. We’ve done it all, you know, amphibious cars trying to get to cross the channel.

“When you’ve done that sort of stuff and you’re pushing yourself to go, right, I’ve got to top that, I’ve got to top that, I’ve got to top that — all that kind of Hollywood-type mentality — to then go, right, in this episode we’re going to move the goats from one field to another, you do worry.”

However, Andy revealed that the production team soon discovered that stories rooted in small-scale farming could carry just as much emotional weight as the high-octane challenges that made Clarkson a household name.

He explained: “But then you realise that those small stories have got as much power as the Mini down ski jump. So very happy about that. Him involved in that again.

“He can somehow make the movements of goats quite something.”

The moment Andy described as “genius” features in a scene from the new series, where Clarkson assists in herding goats between fields. Wilman highlighted Clarkson’s extraordinary ability to transform the most straightforward rural task into gripping television.

“There’s a bit in the new series where they actually are moving the goats, because I love it as an example — it’s four minutes and you think, well, that’s nearly half a power test on Top Gear, you know, of moving goats, and the goats are unruly,” he said.

“Then they get them under control and they get to the field and it’s your kind of bucolic, beautiful Cotswold late afternoon, and he turns to the camera and goes, ‘Why did I spend so many years driving cars around corners shouting when I could have been doing this?'”

Andy noted that the scene perfectly encapsulates Clarkson’s natural gift for storytelling, elevating even the most mundane farm chores into something truly resonant for viewers.

“So he gives you a Jeremy moment to give context to what’s going on. I’d call that genius, because he’s going, ‘I still have to work here. I can’t just enjoy moving stuff around.’

“And then he stops and he goes, ‘Oh, I remember. Because it pays for me to do this.’ Like, you know? And then brings it down.”

When Professor Damian Hughes questioned whether Clarkson’s achievements stem more from natural instinct than carefully crafted production, Andy indicated the two elements are inseparable.

He remarked: “Isn’t Jeremy being Jeremy a bit of genius?” adding: “You know, it’s like not anyone can do that job.”