Harriet Cowan, the Derbyshire farmer who became a fan favourite on Clarkson's Farm, has revealed the personal cost of overnight fame. The 25-year-old, who appeared in series four and five of the Prime Video show, quit her full-time job as a community nurse in Derbyshire to focus on new opportunities.
From nurse to TV star
Before television, Cowan worked as a community nurse, visiting patients in their homes. She valued the career, but it became incompatible with her growing public profile. After gaining hundreds of thousands of followers overnight, she decided to leave nursing.
On the Fed By Farmers podcast, Cowan described the experience as overwhelming. She said, "It was just insane, and I just feel bad for my friends more than anything, because I want to just be that girl in Young Farmers that nobody knows and I'm never that, I'm never going to be that again."
Joining the show
Cowan explained how she came to work with Jeremy Clarkson, saying the producers "did want a female, just to show the other side of it and how we all do it." She added, "It went really well and, I was two and a half hours away from home which was a bit like, you couldn't just nip round the corner, but it was great and I got to work with the whole team and they were lovely. And it got me into the public eye, so."
New book announced
Cowan has written a book titled Life on the Farm, due for release on 10 September. Sharing the news on Instagram, she called it "such a personal project," adding, "Inside, I share what the farming way of life truly means, the values I live by, and of course what a typical day on the farm really looks like."
She also opened up about the challenges facing Britain's farmers, saying, "I also wanted to open up about the challenges and realities Britain's farmers are facing today, and why buying local isn't just a slogan - it's a way of life." Reflecting on her family's farming heritage, she said, "It's so much more than putting food on the table - it's community, love, resilience, and hard work every single day. I can't wait to share my story with you all."
