Britain's Got Talent head judge Simon Cowell took a playful swipe at Jeremy Clarkson as the Hawkstone Farmers Choir performed on the ITV show over the weekend. The choir, founded by former Top Gear host and Prime Video star Jeremy Clarkson, aged 65, sang Bastille's Pompeii during the semi-final, impressing judges Simon, 66, Amanda Holden, KSI, and Alesha Dixon. Their performance earned them a place in the coveted final thanks to the public vote.
Simon Cowell's Cheeky Comment
Despite the choir's success, Simon could not resist a jibe at Jeremy. After the performance, he told the choir: 'You're not a professional choir, however I love what you stand for. It might be quite annoying to see Jeremy Clarkson's smug face, that's the only downside. He's a friend of mine.' Simon added: 'However more importantly this is about you and you did brilliantly well. Congratulations.'
The Choir's Journey
The choir, now run by farmers Simon Gwilliam and Lizzy Dean, was originally formed by Jeremy after he sought singing agricultural workers for an advert promoting his Hawkstone beer range. Despite Simon hinting earlier that the choir had been 'tipped to win', the group was still stunned when their names were called for the final. Speaking to hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, the choir explained they were inspired to sing to help farmers struggling with loneliness and mental health issues.
Jeremy shared his excitement on social media, posting a video with Clarkson's Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper, celebrating the choir's success at Farm Fest. Fans are now convinced the Hawkstone Choir will win the competition. One fan wrote: 'One of the favourites to win and it would be so deserved if they did. What a beautiful & heartwarming choir Hawkstone Farmers Choir are.' Another added: 'Massive massive massive congratulations to the Hawkstone farmers choir on #bgt tonight… They will win the final btw.'
Upcoming Appearances
The choir will feature in the upcoming fifth series of Clarkson's Farm. A TV insider told The Sun: 'Filming for series five is well and truly under way and the finished show is likely to air next year. Fans will see series four in weeks, but according to Jeremy it is a darker season. The choir's appearance in the following outing will make it more uplifting.' Jeremy brought together the 32-member group in 2024 to raise awareness and funds for mental health charities in the agricultural community.
Charity Single
The choir released a record called 'The Banned One', with all profits going to mental health charity Shout. The record is named after a Hawkstone advert banned for not complying with broadcasting standards. Victoria Hornby, CEO of Shout, said: 'The Hawkstone Farmers' Choir has given an incredible voice to the mental health challenges faced by so many in the agricultural community. The funds raised from this vinyl will be vital, enabling us to train more volunteers and be there for anyone in the farming community who is struggling to cope. It will save lives.' The record is available on the Hawkstone website for £7.50.
Jeremy previously praised the choir, saying: 'I watched Britain's Got Talent tonight for the first time because the Hawkstone choir were on. They were just fantastic. These guys are all farmers and they work incredibly hard for really incredibly small rewards and to see them all on that stage with all that love in the room made my heart sing. I actually welled up, and thank you Amanda Holden for pressing that Golden Buzzer. It shows that I think people quite like farmers, and they were very, very good so well done, all of you. I'm a very happy man tonight because the choir is fab.'
Britain's Got Talent continues Saturday at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
