Jeremy Clarkson has made a startling confession, revealing he is 'genuinely frightened' about an upcoming three-month hiatus from filming television, the first such break he has taken in four decades.
A Career Defined by Constant Cameras
The 65-year-old presenter, famed for Top Gear and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, found a new legion of fans with his hit Amazon Prime series, Clarkson's Farm. The show, which debuted in 2021, documents the chaotic realities of running his Diddly Squat farm in Oxfordshire alongside Kaleb Cooper.
Despite the impending broadcast of a fifth series next spring, Clarkson and his production team are preparing to pause. He had previously acknowledged the need for a rest, stating crews were 'worn out' after filming two to three days a week for five years.
Facing the Fear of an Empty Schedule
However, the reality of stopping has now hit home. In a press release for his new ITV quiz programme, Millionaire Hot Seat, launching in January 2026, Clarkson laid bare his anxiety.
'You would rot if you didn't [work],' he said. 'I'm genuinely frightened because until March, I won't be filming a TV show for the first time in forty years. That will be three months of 'sh*t'.'
Health Update and Looking Ahead
Clarkson also provided a positive update on his health, following a life-threatening scare in October 2024 that required emergency surgery and a stent. He disclosed he has lost three stone since January through careful eating, avoiding snacks like biscuits.
'I walk further, I have got more energy and now I've got my stents in, I'm energised,' he stated, adding he was looking forward to going out for a curry.
His new venture, Millionaire Hot Seat, is based on an Australian format and features six contestants in a revolving 'hot seat' competing to climb a prize ladder.
While fans eagerly await more farming mayhem, Clarkson's candid admission highlights the relentless pace of a career spent almost entirely in front of the camera, and the unfamiliar territory of a forced break.
