Jeremy Clarkson says doctor told him to stop working after heart procedure as he plans diet overhaul

Jeremy Clarkson
-Credit: (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)


Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that his doctor advised him to cut back on work following a heart procedure. The TV presenter, known for hosting Prime Video's Clarkson's Farm and ITV's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, recently had two stents fitted to improve blood flow to his heart.

In his column for The Sun, he shared that his doctor suggested he should reduce his workload significantly and consider taking up golf instead. Clarkson quipped: "If I didn't work, I'd just sit at home all day, rotting.

"The worst problem though is diet. To cut my alarmingly high levels of cholesterol, I need to cut out, completely, everything I like eating."

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He listed foods such as bacon, sausages, beef, lamb, pork, butter, chips, full-fat milk, Cadbury's fruit and nut bars and egg yolks. He added: "I've had a week now to live in the new regime and it's horrific."

Despite the advice, Clarkson dismissed the idea of stopping work entirely, promising he would "carry on" and simply adjust his diet. The former Top Gear host, who owns a brewery, farm shop and pub in Oxfordshire, also mentioned that he has been advised to eat more vegetables and cut down on drinking his own beer.

Finally, he humorously addressed the topic of exercise, saying: "I've always seen this is something you do when travelling from the car to the pub, or from the lunch table to the sitting room.

"But apparently, when I've recovered from the operation, I must do more."

Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson during a Q&A event to launch the final episode of The Grand Tour -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images

The 64-year-old also said that he was aware that his lifestyle was unhealthy, and he was unconcerned by the thought of dying, but now wants to see his “grandchildren grow up”.

In a candid piece for The Sunday Times, he shared his alarming experience with health issues that surfaced suddenly - describing how he felt "clammy", encountered a "tightness in my chest", and felt "pins and needles in my left arm".

Seeking medical attention promptly, Clarkson was rushed by ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital where he underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests and X-rays. Further examinations revealed that one artery was "completely blocked and the second of three was heading that way".

His medical team warned him that he was "days away" from severe illness, but within about two hours, stents were fitted to address the blockage.

Clarkson recently brought his popular Prime Video series The Grand Tour to a close, which he fronted alongside Richard Hammond and James May. Its final episode aired last month.

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