Jeremy Clarkson just became an unlikely hero for French farmers

Anyone familiar with the heyday of Top Gear would almost certainly scoff at the idea of Jeremy Clarkson becoming a hero for French protesters, but that's exactly what just happened.

It's all a result of the 63-year-old presenter's new career as a farmer, which has of course been documented on the Prime Video series Clarkson's Farm. This has seen Clarkson's attitudes line up with those of protesting agricultural workers in Europe.

French farmers have been blocking roads as part of a convoy of around 200 tractors, speaking out against red tape around imports and exports, as well as rising costs.

One farmer, Robin Leduc, told The Telegraph that the movement in France needed a celebrity figurehead of the sort that Clarkson has been for farming issues in the UK.

This prompted a message of support from Clarkson himself, who wrote in French to his eight million followers on Twitter.

He said: "French farmers. I bet no one has ever said this before, but good luck, coming from England."

Leduc gave his unlikely support for Clarkson when he said that "one of our French celebrities needs to do the same as Jeremy Clarkson".

He added: "It’s everything he explained that’s why and how we are here today. You may have left the EU but we share many of the same problems regarding all these environmental rules.”

Clarkson became involved in farming in 2019 when the local villager who had previously been responsible for the land — which Clarkson had bought in 2008 — retired. His attempts to become a farmer became the focal point of Clarkson's Farm, which received acclaim from viewers and TV critics.

Watch: Jeremy Clarkson contemplated selling Diddly Squat Farm

In fact, one sheep farmer said after the first series aired that Clarkson had done more for farming in that series than Countryfile managed in three decades on the air. He's come a long way from skidding supercars around corners too quickly.

The third series of Clarkson's Farm is due to air this year, with a fourth already commissioned for 2025.

Meanwhile, Clarkson is back on TV screens once again for another series of the long-running quiz show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? on ITV.

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