51AVÊÓƵ

For the last five years the nation's new favourite farmer, Jeremy Clarkson, has exposed what it really takes to be a British farmer, the challenges the industry faces and a bit of good old Government bashing. And series five is no different - a lot can happen in the space of a year on farm.Ìý

For many in agriculture, the variety of problems will resonate. For those not in farming, yes, there is humour, but it gives a small insight into some big issues.Ìý

• See the FG verdict below

Clarkson's health

The series starts with a focus on Jeremy's health issues, which resulted in a stint in hospital for heart surgery. Telling his farming sidekick Kaleb Cooper all about it, he said his arteries looked 'like something dangling from the roof of a cave in the Peak District'.Ìý

With a new diet and partner Lisa Hogan forcing all sorts of new delicacies down is throat, the Top Gear star admits he is missing eating meat - and, as he said, as a livestock farmer it is pretty ironic.

It shines a spotlight on rural health and will hopefully urge more farmers to act if something feels off.Ìý

READ NOW: Jeremy Clarkson on people who drop litter: "I just want to go and execute them"

'Stupid' sheep and beloved pigs

Much to Kaleb's dismay, more sheep have arrived at the farm - especially as demand grows for produce at The Farmer's Dog pub.

Jeremy's new Easycare sheep are, said Kaleb, anything but easy.

But it is the pigs that Jeremy enjoys. Sending them off to slaughter was 'emotional' and told Kaleb 'I just love pigs. Just like you love cows'.

It was bad news from the butcher, though, after learning his rare breed Oxford Sandy Black pigs did not make anything other than some 'good sausages'.Ìý

Inheritance Tax protests

In November 2024, thousands of farmers took to the streets of London to protest against the 'family farm tax', and although Jeremy was debating going, he went and stood alongside British farmers and told the crowd the Government had got it wrong.Ìý

Putting on a coach for farmers to attend, there are various mentions of this 'idiotic Government' and how unsupportive of agriculture it is.

READ NOW: Defra publishes its 'near final' Sustainable Farming Incentive update

LAMMAÌý

Hosted by Farmers Guardian, Jeremy and Kaleb headed to LAMMA 2025 to witness the array of futuristic farm machinery on show.

As Kaleb took to the stage to take part in a special , Jeremy was 'mind blown' by the amount of technology on offer and it prompted a trip to see how the Dutch farm.

WATCH NOW:

TravelsÌý

Viewers will enjoy seeing Kaleb head under the channel tunnel for the first time alongside Jeremy, as they visit a Dutch farmer to see some tech and the impact on efficiency.

After witnessing some pretty impressive machinery, Jeremy was amazed to hear of how Dutch farmers are using tech out in the field.Ìý

He said: "So, you tell the tractor to do different things in different parts of the same field?"

The Farmer's Dog - a proper rural hub

With a mission to make The Farmer's Dog a true celebration of British produce, visitors have flocked to the rural pub to experience the food - and perhaps for a chance to see the man himself.

But what the series does highlight are the soaring costs of running a pub.

Thinking about putting his prices up, Jeremy said he conducted a survey of all the other pubs in the area to compare prices and found The Farmer's Dog is cheapest. But the business is still not making a profit.

"Why did you let me buy a pub?" he said to advisor Charlie Ireland, AKA Cheerful Charlie.

"I now have two loss-making businesses."

But there were some celebrations - popular 90s band The Corrs played in the pub and the Clarkson's 51AVÊÓƵcohort shared a cake forÌýGerald's 78th birthday.

FG VERDICT - Digital editor Emily Ashworth

I read a review on the Telegraph that said 'you can only laugh at a person slipping in cow muck so many times' and gave the new series a three-star review.Ìý

I cannot know this for sure, but I reckon this critic is not from farming, or perhaps ever stepped foot on a farm.

I say this because this show has, and will continue to be, the most honest form of communication the industry has to the wider public, and if you really believe that nothing new is happening on Clarkson's Farm, you really do not understand farming.Ìý

Yes, the format is predictable (pretty sure that is why we watch it, at least we know what we are getting). Yes, it is a somewhat grumpy Jeremy Clarkson and farm-obsessed youngster Kaleb Cooper arguing about fresh air, but in the space of a year, agriculture changes significantly, whether farmers want it to or not, so no two series will ever be the same.

I did feel quite stirred when I watched the footage of the farmer protest in London in 2024. I was there alongside the Farmers Guardian team and know what it meant that Mr Clarkson turned up. Because aside from all the grumbling about the reasons he purchased a farm, farmers do not feel heard, and to have a voice like Mr Clarkson's speaking up on behalf of the underdog allows us to have the chance of change.Ìý

There are really honest moments too. Mr Clarkson's health is under the spotlight, and, un-surprisingly, farmers are not the best at self-care, so any chance to highlight how important it is to take of yourself, for the sake of your family and your farm, is really paramount. You might not listen to your spouse or your friends, but seeing the reality of it on your favourite TV show might just spur someone on.Ìý

I will say, there are a few gruesome scenes and choice wording in this series - farmers will not bat an eyelid, but it might leave the average viewer squirming in their seat.

But is that not what we want? Kind of. I will await the comments.Ìý

It has been a tough couple of years for the industry, and although for many farmers the shenanigans in this new series of Clarkson's 51AVÊÓƵis nothing out of the ordinary, it might just make you feel like you are not facing these incidents alone.Ìý

To the naysayers: Farmers do not really get much, so can you not just let us have this one?Ìý

And to the Telegraph critic, I did not see much slipping on cow muck. Just a really good portrayal of how British farms are trying to stay in the green.