Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that his initial pitch for Clarkson's Farm was rejected by the BBC, despite his long association with the broadcaster through Top Gear. In his latest column for The Sun, Clarkson recounted the blunt response he received from a BBC commissioner when he proposed the farming show.
BBC Rejection Over Production Location
While commenting on Andy Burnham's plan for a Manchester-based government hub, Clarkson compared it to the BBC's decision in 2011 to move many programmes to Salford. He noted that the executive tasked with encouraging staff to relocate chose to remain in London.
Clarkson said that when he pitched the farming show, the commissioner's only question was about the production location. When Clarkson said London, the response was: 'Well, we don't want it then.'
Show's Success on Amazon Prime
Despite the BBC's rejection, Clarkson's Farm has become a hit on Amazon Prime Video, now in its fifth series with over 4.9 million viewers for recent episodes. The show follows Clarkson as he manages his 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds with help from partner Lisa Hogan and farm manager Kaleb Cooper.
Clarkson initially doubted the show would appeal to his Top Gear audience, but it attracted a new viewership. He told The Times: 'It brought a whole new audience who'd never watched a single programme I'd made.'
