Jeremy Clarkson, once feared by car manufacturers for his savage TV reviews, is now being hailed by British farmers for helping drive a surge in demand for homegrown food.
According to Waitrose, the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm is fuelling a spike in sales of British-grown produce, as viewers rally behind UK agriculture.
Launched on Prime Video, the show’s fourth season premiered on Friday and has already made its mark at the tills. Waitrose reported significant sales increases across a range of local items: thick-cut British sirloin steak is up 193% year-on-year, Jersey Royal new potatoes up 89%, and red Leicester cheese up 50%. Even Cox and Gala apples are enjoying a revival, with sales up 52% and 30% respectively. Early season British asparagus is also proving popular, up 25%.
“Farming shows are doing more than just entertaining us,” said Jake Pickering, head of agriculture at Waitrose. “They’re making the public stop and think about British farming, the people behind it and the challenges they face.”
Clarkson’s Farm has resonated with viewers by showing the reality of modern farming—from bureaucratic battles with environmental regulations to the unpredictable economics of crop production. While Clarkson’s tone is often combative, his stories have had a humanising effect on the public perception of UK farmers.
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