Jeremy Clarkson has described adapting to a new way of life after undergoing “extremely urgent” heart surgery as “horrific”. The 64-year-old broadcaster was recently fitted with two stents, which are used to improve blood flow to the heart.
In his column for the Sun, Clarkson said he was not fazed by the operation itself, but rather the prospect of giving up alcohol, taking up exercise, and adopting a healthier diet. He wrote: “If I go to a party, I must stand in a corner, nursing some refreshing elderflower juice, before going home at about 9.30. That’s terrifying too.”
Clarkson, who retired from The Grand Tour last year, maintains a packed schedule. He owns a farm, a brewery and a pub, writes three newspaper columns, and hosts the ITV gameshow Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Despite his reluctance, he will have to cut out red meat, chips, butter, chocolate, and “the interesting bit” in an egg. He also dismissed the idea of stopping work, saying he would “carry on” and simply change his diet.
Regarding exercise, Clarkson wrote that he has always regarded working out as “something you do when travelling from the car to the pub, or from the lunch table to the sitting room”. He added: “But apparently, when I’ve recovered from the operation, I must do more. I must even go on the sort of ‘walk’ where I end up back where I started. What’s the point of that?”
Despite his opposition to the new regime, Clarkson acknowledged that the surgery had made him realise he would like to live longer. He wrote: “Last week, when the Grim Reaper poked his nose round the door, I decided that actually I quite fancied living a little bit longer. I want to see my grandchildren grow up. I saw the dawn this morning, and it was magnificent, so I’d quite like to see a few more of those, too.”
According to the British Heart Foundation, more than 39,000 people in England died prematurely in 2022 from cardiovascular conditions, including heart attacks, coronary heart disease and stroke – an average of 750 people a week.
