Jeremy Clarkson has opened up about being badly bullied as a child, sharing his mother's brutal advice that he now reflects on in his latest column for The Sun. The former Top Gear host admitted that his mother told him he must have been 'doing something wrong' if everyone was bullying him, a comment that today would likely lead to arrest, he joked.
Mother's Harsh Words
In his column, Clarkson wrote: 'When I was a kid, I sobbed to her one night that everyone at school was bullying me and she replied: "Well, if everyone is bullying you, you must be doing something wrong."' He added that today she would be arrested for even thinking such a thought, and would be in jail with Sam Neill's mother for mental health abuse. However, he questioned whether parents had the right idea back then and whether society has 'lost the plot' now.
Clarkson continued: 'After my mother said I was being bullied because I was doing something wrong, I worked out that I was a bit of a prig.' This self-reflection came after the bullying he endured as a child.
Clarkson's Farm Feud with Chris Packham
The admission comes as Clarkson fired back at Springwatch presenter Chris Packham, who criticized Clarkson's Farm during an episode of Celebrity Gogglebox. Packham labelled the show an 'idealistic view of a farm' that puts 'the wrong idea in people's minds', claiming most farms are 'horrible monocultures' sprayed with deadly chemicals. Clarkson responded by revealing that Packham actually visited Diddly Squat Farm in 2012, spending the day foraging and bird watching, suggesting he ought to know better.
Clarkson's column also touches on his school days, contrasting his current confidence with his past insecurity. The former Top Gear host, along with James May and Richard Hammond, retired from the show in 2024.
