Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper's bond has been highlighted after the heartbreaking reaction to Clarkson's cancer news. During the final episode of series five of Clarkson's Farm, Clarkson, 66, revealed he has prostate cancer, and Cooper, his farmhand since the show began, was visibly devastated.
Clarkson's Cancer Announcement
In the episode, Clarkson sat down with Cooper and Charlie Ireland to share his diagnosis. He explained that a biopsy had confirmed aggressive but early-stage prostate cancer. He said, "I was praying we could get the harvest done and then I could go and get some treatment but it’s going to be slap bang in the middle."
Cooper, wiping away tears, responded, "Look after yourself, you go and do… if you need anything just ring." Clarkson jokingly told him to "cheer up" and assured him that treatment would likely work, though results would take weeks.
Their Strong Bond
Clarkson and Cooper have worked together since Clarkson's Farm began in 2021. Cooper, who does not come from a farming background, started helping on farms at age 13. He became a farmhand at Diddly Squat Farm under manager Howard Pauling and was kept on when Clarkson took over. Clarkson said in 2021, "We needed a tractor driver… we got Kaleb and I think you’ll all agree he’s good on television."
Despite frequent arguments on the show, often sparked by Cooper's frustration with Clarkson's lack of farming knowledge, the two have a close relationship. Cooper told The Telegraph in 2024 that viewers see only about 30% of their arguments, and sometimes the camera crew walks off mid-fight. However, he added, "We have become quite close now. He’s been a father figure to me… when he’s not p**sing me off, there is love there."
Cooper, who has released books and become a star in his own right, jokingly told The Times, "He referred to me as a tractor driver. I’m a Farm Manager. I’m the boss. It’s Kaleb’s Farm, secretly."
