Television personality and Heart FM broadcaster Amanda Holden has delivered a characteristically playful jibe aimed at her famous neighbour, Jeremy Clarkson, whilst firmly staking her claim as an established member of the "Cotswolds family." The comment comes amidst a notable influx of high-profile celebrities purchasing properties in the picturesque region, a trend often referred to as the "Cotswolds boom."
A Two-Decade Head Start
Holden, who has been a resident for nearly twenty years, emphasised her long-standing connection to the area in a recent interview. She pointed out that her investment in a rural weekend retreat with her husband, Chris Hughes, predates the recent wave of celebrity arrivals by a significant margin.
"I've been there nearly 20 years - my grandparents were from that area - before the Beckhams and Beyoncé," she told The Times. "We wanted a weekend retreat and it's turned out to be a wonderful investment. [Jeremy] Clarkson can't moan about me because I'm technically Cotswolds family."
The Celebrity Property Phenomenon
The Cotswolds has become a magnet for A-list homeowners in recent years, with notable figures including David and Victoria Beckham, Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres, and most recently, music icons Beyoncé and Jay-Z all acquiring properties. Holden acknowledged this trend, suggesting that while the American interest is "great for house prices," her own tenure grants her a form of local legitimacy that newer arrivals might lack.
Her remarks were directly aimed at Clarkson, the outspoken presenter and owner of Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, who acquired his property in 2008. Holden seemed to anticipate that he might be critical of the celebrity influx, hence her pre-emptive declaration.
Clarkson's Contradictory Stance
Interestingly, despite his reputation for blunt commentary, Jeremy Clarkson has previously downplayed suggestions that celebrities are overrunning the Cotswolds. In a clip shared on social media, the Clarkson's Farm star expressed a different view.
"Everybody says the Cotswolds is being taken over by celebrities and you just think, I don't see them," Clarkson remarked. "We don't see them. I look out of my window in the morning – you don't see them. OK, they have got a house five miles away. It is like saying Fulham is being taken over."
He concluded by affirming that the region remains "a really nice part of the country" that hasn't been ruined, counting himself and other residents as "very, very lucky to live there."
Neighbourly Bonds Beyond the Banter
While the exchange with Clarkson carries a tone of light-hearted rivalry, Holden revealed she enjoys a much more sociable relationship with another celebrity neighbour and colleague. She confirmed that she regularly meets up with fellow Britain's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell, who has settled in West Oxfordshire with his family.
The connection is strengthened by their children's friendship. "I see him quite a lot and our children get on well," Holden shared. "Eric [Simon Cowell's son] and Hollie are good friends." This detail highlights a more communal side to life in the celebrity enclave, contrasting with the isolated experience Clarkson described.
The playful dig from Amanda Holden underscores the ongoing conversation about authenticity, investment, and community in one of Britain's most desirable rural locations, as it navigates its newfound status as a hotspot for the global elite.
