British presenter Jeremy Clarkson, 66, said in the final episodes of the fifth season of Clarkson's Farm that he has prostate cancer. The Amazon Prime series, which follows the former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host, showed him telling co-stars Charlie Ireland and Caleb Cooper, “I have cancer.”
Clarkson said he had known about the diagnosis since May and had disappeared the previous week to see a doctor and undergo a biopsy. He described the cancer as aggressive, but said it was found at a very early stage. He added that he had already started treatment and was waiting for surgery.
“I prayed we would finish the work in the field and then I could go get treatment, but it is going to fall right in the middle,” he said. “I am not stupid, it will be in about two weeks, maybe three. I will have to have surgery, and the surgery is fairly short, but your body is incapacitated for a while.”
The episode later showed Clarkson in hospital, where he said, “I started the fifth season in a hospital bed, and we are ending the fifth season and I am in a hospital bed again... some of the treatment did not go as planned, but what I wanted to say is that if everything works out I will see you in season six, and if not, I won’t.” The season ends with Clarkson telling viewers, “Take care, everyone.” Before the final episodes aired, he had posted a video on Instagram warning that “grim news” would be revealed and saying the last two episodes were “not the cheerful kind” and would be “hard to watch.”
