Jeremy Clarkson has said that 35 to 40 people working on Clarkson’s Farm are worried about how they will pay their mortgages as many television professionals struggle to find work.
Speaking at the Royal Television Society London Convention 2026, Clarkson said the sixth season of Clarkson’s Farm had been completed the previous day. He said television programmes needed to become “bigger, better, fewer” to survive.
“I know a huge amount of producers that I’ve worked with over the years, really, really clever people, decent, sensible, hard-working people, who cannot find work in the industry,” he said.
Clarkson said television broadcasters, including the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and Channel 5, might eventually need to merge to ensure their survival. He also called for more “event television”, arguing that gardening and cooking programmes faced competition from content creators on social media.
Clarkson’s Farm, which airs on Prime Video, has been popular with viewers. Clarkson attributed its appeal to its authenticity, contrasting it with Top Gear and The Grand Tour, where major set pieces were planned.
“With Clarkson’s Farm, you have absolutely no idea what you’re going to do that day,” he said. “It’s a much more human place to be and much more in tune with the times.”
