Why Farming Left Jeremy Clarkson Feeling ‘Broken’ and Bored Sitting Down.

Jeremy Clarkson Admits He’s “Broken” – and Says Farming Is for Those Who Hate to Sweat

Jeremy Clarkson has never been shy about speaking his mind — and his latest revelation is as honest (and funny) as ever. The former Top Gear host has confessed that six years into his farming career, he feels “broken,” even though he insists that agriculture is “ideal for people who don’t like to work up a sweat.”

A Sedentary Farmer

Since swapping fast cars for fields at his now-famous Diddly Squat Farm, Clarkson has discovered that the physical demands of farming aren’t quite what he imagined. “I burn about two calories an hour,” he jokes, adding that most of his working day involves sitting down.

“Since I started in the fields six years ago, I’ve realised that farming is ideal for those who don’t like to work up a sweat,” he says. “Only mattress testers have an easier, more sedentary life.”

While fans might imagine him toiling away under the sun, Clarkson spends much of his time behind the wheel of a tractor or buried in paperwork to meet the endless regulations from Defra — the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Supacat: From Battlefield to Barnyard

Among Clarkson’s impressive collection of farm machinery, one vehicle stands out: the Supacat. Originally designed as a six-wheel-drive, semi-amphibious military recovery vehicle, it was built to haul broken Land Rovers off the battlefield.

“The thing is unstoppable,” Clarkson says proudly. “It was designed for war, so a bit of British mud doesn’t scare it.” He bought the ex-military machine for £9,000 a few years ago, praising its soft tyres that glide over the land without tearing up the soil.

“No matter what the weather’s doing, I can fire up the Supacat, attach the trailer using an extremely manly Nato hitch and head off for firewood,” he said at the time.

However, the veteran vehicle has one serious drawback — it’s not exactly easy on a 65-year-old body. “It’s quite difficult to get in and out of if you’re old and broken,” he admits in his Sunday Times column.

Searching for a Replacement

Determined to find something gentler on his joints, Clarkson began looking for a new utility vehicle. Among the contenders was the £44,000 all-electric Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic Ultimate — a sleek, silent alternative to his noisy old Supacat. But the quietness, he decided, was actually a disadvantage.

“You know instinctively when you’ve applied the right amount of power because you can hear it,” he explains. “But in an electric vehicle, there is no sound. You press the accelerator and nothing happens.”

In the end, practicality — and price — won out. Clarkson settled on the petrol-powered CFMoto UForce U10 Pro, a robust Chinese-made workhorse that costs far less than its electric rival.

Comfort at Last

Compared with the bone-rattling Supacat, the CFMoto is a revelation. It seats up to six passengers on two cushioned bench seats, has power windows, and features a push-button electric gear shift — a small but welcome luxury for a man whose body has endured decades of car stunts, crashes, and comedy mishaps.

“It’s very practical, very robust, and extremely useful,” he says. The machine has already become a firm favorite on the Diddly Squat farm — perhaps too much so. “On day one, my dogs leapt into the pick-up bed,” Clarkson laughs. “Since then, they’ve pretty much refused to get out.”

A Love-Hate Relationship with Farming

Clarkson’s journey from TV presenter to reluctant farmer has been well documented in his hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm. While he often jokes about his incompetence, fans see the genuine affection he’s developed for rural life — even when it leaves him feeling “broken.”

Despite the aches, regulations, and endless surprises that come with agriculture, it’s clear he wouldn’t trade his muddy corner of the Cotswolds for anything. As Clarkson himself might put it: farming may be sedentary, but it’s never dull.