Producer Andy Wilman, who worked with Jeremy Clarkson on shows such as Top Gear and The Grand Tour, has revealed his early concerns about Clarkson's Farm before it became a hit. The show, now in its fifth season, started when a tenant retired from farming some thousand acres of Oxfordshire land, prompting Clarkson to try farming himself.
Unexpected Success
Clarkson pitched the idea of a reality show to Amazon Prime Video almost as an afterthought. The result accidentally became an important outlet for British farmers' views and showed a more vulnerable side of Clarkson, who shared his cancer diagnosis in the latest series.
Producer's Concerns
Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Wilman admitted he never imagined that 'a show about a man failing to grow things' would have such cultural resonance. He compared it to Top Gear, where the best moments were organic happy accidents. 'The whole premise was a sort of whimsical thing – he tries to make a go of his farm… There was no plan or logic or perception that farmers would see us as beacons.'
Wilman also didn't anticipate the show's popularity with the general public. 'Our big worry, apart from how authentic it would be, is how boring it might be.' He feared that fans thrilled by stunts like rocket engines on a Mini might be disappointed by scenes of Clarkson hitching a tractor trailer.
Lack of Jeopardy
Wilman noted that typical reality shows about starting a farm include peril – someone selling everything and mortgaging their life savings. But that doesn't work with Clarkson, who has money. 'Everyone knows Jeremy's got a bob or two. So if the farm were not to make money or work, right, he's not out on his a**e. That was the storyline gone.'
Fortunately, audiences were captivated by Clarkson being told off by farm assistant Kaleb Cooper for wasting money on a Lamborghini tractor. Now in its fifth series, the show is popular with both ordinary farmers and the public. One farmer told the BBC: 'Many farmers will think this is putting them and their experience over in a positive way.' Sheep farmer James Rebanks told the Telegraph that Clarkson had done more for farming in one series than 30 years of Countryfile.
