Jeremy Clarkson Fired Mid-Speech at Farmers’ Rally After Painkiller Blunder
Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he was sacked from the farmers’ anti-inheritance tax campaign after addressing their rally in London while under the influence of painkillers. The Clarkson’s Farm star admitted his performance at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) event last week fell short, blaming a “fog of painkillers” caused by a cocktail of codeine and paracetamol he took for a slipped disc.
The 64-year-old said he was dismissed before he had even stepped off the stage. Reflecting on his speech, which he wrote on the way to the podium, Clarkson admitted, “I’m not sure my speech was terribly good because before I’d even left the stage, I was approached by Tom Bradshaw, the new boss of the National Farmers’ Union, who made it plain he didn’t want me representing farmers on this inheritance tax issue any more”, reported by the Daily Star.
Clarkson candidly acknowledged Bradshaw’s perspective, saying, “I can see where he’s coming from of course. I’m like blotting paper to the Derbyshires of this world and that’s not helpful.”
The former Top Gear presenter added that his decision to attend the rally went against medical advice following recent emergency heart surgery. The rally saw Clarkson clash with BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire over the number of farmers affected by the government’s inheritance tax changes. “I probably could have given a better account of myself,” he admitted.
After the event, Clarkson found himself stranded when a security guard accidentally left with his car key. As he waited for the issue to be resolved, Clarkson reflected on the day, concluding that the rally likely achieved little. “The Labourites in charge have held their views about property being theft since they joined the sixth-form debating society, and they aren’t going to change their minds just because 20,000 people in sturdy shoes came to London to be polite and courteous for a couple of hours.”
Despite the setback, Clarkson expressed his continued support for farmers, calling Labour’s proposed tax changes “terribly cruel” and highlighting their impact on “some of the hardest-working, most underpaid and underappreciated people in the land.”
Ending on a defiant note, Clarkson hinted at forming a new movement. “Everything possible must be done to force the government to change its mind… If anyone out there fancies doing this, give me a call. And when my security team has found the missing car key and my back doesn’t hurt quite so much, I’ll be there alongside you, doing whatever it is that needs to be done.”