Jeremy Clarkson ‘genuinely frightened’ as he takes ‘first break from TV in 40 years’

The former ‘Top Gear’ host will take an extended break from being in front of the cameras next year

Jeremy Clarkson has lifted the lid on how he feels about taking his “first break from TV in 40 years” – admitting he’s “genuinely frightened” about taking an extended holiday.

The 65-year-old former Top Gear host currently fronts a number of programmes, including ITV’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? revival and a new spin-off, Millionaire Hot Seat, which will arrive on the channel in 2026.

Speaking at the launch of the new programme, Clarkson told reporters: “I’m genuinely frightened because until March, I won’t be filming a TV show for the first time in forty years. That will be three months of s***.”

When the presenter isn’t filming, he runs the Diddly Squat Farm, which he bought in 2008. Having initially purchased the 1000-acre Oxfordshire holding as an investment, he took over the running of the farm in 2019.

The highs and lows of his farming career - which have included opening a farm shop and buying a nearby pub - have been charted in the Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm.

The fifth season of the show is slated to arrive on the streaming service in 2026 – and it will be the last one for the time being, as Clarkson announced his decision to take a break from filming after it wrapped.

Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper on ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ (Prime Video)

The run is expected to feature the most emotional scenes yet as an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis strikes the Cotswolds farm.

Speaking earlier this year, the former Grand Tour presenter admitted the profits from the TV show have been crucial to helping the business survive after a “disastrous” harvest.

“If a disaster on this scale had befallen any other industry, there would be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth,” he wrote in a post on X.

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When one fan said this particular “drama” would make “good TV”, Clarkson replied: “Yes. But most farms don’t have TV shows to keep them going.”

Clarkson has hosted ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ since 2018 (ITV)

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? spin-off Millionaire Hot Seat will see Clarkson joined by six contestants answering questions against the clock to boost the prize pot, which can only be won by one of them. ITV has commissioned 18 instalments of the 30-minute show.

Clarkson is also set to front 19 new episodes of the main programme and seven celebrity specials.