Jeremy Clarkson: Oafish, opinionated and very, very popular

The TV and journalism big beast is enjoying glowing reviews for his new farming show on Amazon Prime. But, asks Sean O’Grady, are we too quick to forgive his past vile behaviour?

Top of the crops: ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ is a bit of a sensation (Amazon Prime Video)

For too many weeks now, the British people have been put through a series of collective mental tortures. How far would the Welsh, Scottish and English football teams get in the Euros? Would so-called pandemic freedom day be cancelled? Would Toby pick new girl Chloe on Love Island? And, of course, most tense of all, would Jeremy Clarkson get a second series for his farming show?

The jubilation was unconfined upon confirmation that Jeff Bezos, boss of Amazon and fresh back from space, had graciously consented to the clamour. Clarkson’s Farm will indeed be back on our screens. Maybe the doubts about its future were hyped up a bit when Clarkson told his 7.3 million followers to “write to Amazon, it’s their decision”. It is genuinely popular and a bit of a sensation. But then Clarkson does know what he’s doing, media-wise, spinning them as artfully as the Stig in a BMW M5 with the stability control turned off.

It is very good news indeed for Jeremy Clarkson, and not just because of the fees from Amazon that are presumably making up for his farm’s lack of operating profits – £144 from the arable side of the business last year, or £12 a month. Hence the name he has given it: Diddly Squat Farm – an enterprise he’s been trying to run since the chap he employed to do so retired a couple of years ago.