Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed he is in remission from prostate cancer, describing his treatment ordeal as a 'nightmare' while urging fans to get checked. The former Top Gear presenter, 66, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease in August last year, a diagnosis detailed on his show Clarkson's Farm.
Diagnosis and treatment
Clarkson first revealed his prostate cancer on Clarkson's Farm, where the latest series ended with him in a hospital bed, uncertain about returning for a sixth series. He later explained he had an 'aggressive' type of cancer. Prostate cancer affects more than 64,000 British men annually, with 12,000 deaths, but is treatable if caught early.
His treatment included HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound), a procedure previously undergone by Lord David Cameron. Clarkson said the procedure involved a probe inserted into the rectum. Although the treatment appeared successful, complications left him needing a catheter—a tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine.
Catheter 'nightmare'
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Clarkson described the catheter experience: 'Catheters are terrible all the time, but trying to sleep with one is just a nightmare. You feel like you're sort of running a brewery, all these taps and pipes and things.' He called the catheter 'so undignified' but acknowledged it was a 'small price to pay' for overcoming cancer.
His cancer diagnosis came shortly after a 'brush with death' in 2024, when he had emergency surgery for a stent after a potentially fatal heart failure. 'I am without a doubt, officially, the world's luckiest man,' he added.
Remission and ongoing monitoring
Two months ago, a PSA test showed no indication of cancer, officially placing him in remission. However, Clarkson is aware that for 40 percent of patients, prostate cancer returns. He will continue blood tests and is 'trying to be positive.' His life has largely returned to normal, though he now avoids processed foods, joking he can only eat something if it 'contains one thing' like a steak or an egg.
Clarkson urged fans to get checked, calling it a 'no-brainer,' and noted the reaction from fans was beyond his expectations: 'I got woken up last night when people in Australia saw the show and started texting me. The story has landed harder than I thought it would.'
