Jeremy Clarkson has issued a warning to his Cotswolds neighbours as his Diddly Squat farm prepares to host thousands of visitors for a major agricultural event. The 66-year-old former Top Gear presenter will welcome Cereals 2026, one of the largest trade shows in the farming industry, to his 1,000-acre Oxfordshire farm on Wednesday and Thursday. The event will feature crop plots, machinery demonstrations, expert seminars, and networking opportunities for farmers and industry professionals.
Clarkson, who has faced challenges such as a tuberculosis outbreak and relentless drought at his farm, admitted that farming is in “deep trouble” when speaking to locals ahead of the event. He described it as an “honour” to try to support the industry and warned around 60 residents about expected traffic, with 25,000 visitors likely to attend.
“This is an important event, not just for the agriculture sector nationally but for our local farming communities too,” Clarkson said. “Farming is an industry that is in deep trouble. I have the honour of trying to put something back into this beleaguered world.”
He assured that the area will be “relatively undisturbed” thanks to various traffic management measures. These include a temporary 30mph speed limit on routes surrounding the farm, one-way systems on many roads to prevent gridlock, and restricted access through the nearby village of Chadlington. Buses will transport attendees directly to the site, and parking at the farm is free to reduce traffic queues.
Organisers are working with local schools to minimise disruption for students, including those taking GCSE and A-level exams. The event coincides with the release of the fifth series of Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime, with the first episodes dropping last week. The new series has covered various dramas, including Clarkson being rushed to hospital for emergency heart surgery in late 2024, where he had a stent fitted to open a blocked artery.
