Jeremy Clarkson makes drastic business decision after ‘disaster’ Farmer’s Dog and health problems
Jeremy Clarkson has announced he will not start any new businesses following the launch of his Oxfordshire pub, The Farmer’s Dog, which he described as his final venture.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Clarkson stated: “I’m done with business now. I am not starting another business as long as I live. I don’t understand it and am not motivated by money. I just want a good craic.”
The Farmer’s Dog, opened in 2024, now employs 146 people. It follows the success of Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm and Hawkstone lager, both of which feature prominently in his Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm.
Despite the popularity of these enterprises, Clarkson said the pressures of running them have taken their toll.
Clarkson described Hawkstone, in which he holds a major stake, as the most serious part of his operations. “It’s the grown-up element of the whole operation,” he said. “You have the farm shop, the pub and TV show, which are all entertainment. Hawkstone is grown-up as I have to go to board meetings where people talk in a foreign language.”
Clarkson added: “We don’t even drink in board meetings, we are so busy using acronyms.”
Hawkstone has expanded significantly since Clarkson acquired his stake in 2021. Its products are now stocked in over 2,000 pubs and by major retailers including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Ocado and Majestic Wine.
Sales rose from £7.8million in 2024 to £21.3million in the year to March 2025.
MORE LIKE THIS:
Clarkson’s Farm fans issue urgent plea as Lisa Hogan delivers huge update on Richard Ham: ‘Please DON’T!’Jeremy Clarkson defends Clarkson’s Farm as he claps back at backlash to pub storyline with 11-word statementJeremy Clarkson, 65, shares rare relationship insight as he admits he and Lisa Hogan ‘go our separate ways’
Clarkson insisted the brand is more than a celebrity-backed product. “Some people assume it is a Ryan Reynolds-backed, Kylie Minogue-backed liquid,” he said. “There is always this moment where they go, ‘Actually, that is f**ing good.’”
He also highlighted the company’s commitment to British agriculture. “Hopefully, everybody benefits from Hawkstone, the Farmer’s Dog and Diddly Squat,” he said. “Whether you are growing black pepper in Cornwall or barley in Scotland, it is all backing British farming.”
Clarkson has been vocal about supporting British hops and ingredients, with four of the eight drinks on tap at The Farmer’s Dog made entirely from UK-sourced produce. He said the brewery’s demand could increase the British hops industry by up to 30 per cent.
Despite Hawkstone’s commercial growth, Clarkson said he is no longer interested in expanding his portfolio.
Alongside the pressures of business, he has recently been using Mounjaro, a weight-loss drug, to improve his health. He credited it with curbing his appetite but said it has not dulled his interest in beer.
In 2026, Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm is set to host the Cereals agricultural trade event, usually held in Cambridgeshire. The event is expected to draw up to 30,000 farmers.
Clarkson joked that his co-star Kaleb Cooper was concerned about having his farming work scrutinised by professionals.
He also expressed concern over the decline of local pubs and suggested a new campaign to encourage people to return to them. “If you no longer have a village doctor, policeman, school, shop, vicar and if you lose the pub, then what is a village? It is just a collection of houses,” he said.
“Go to your local pub on your way home from work. Just have a pint, a chat with someone. It’s a bit less time scrolling on social media… It benefits the individual, the pub.”