Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer last summer and underwent surgery to remove 10% of his prostate. This came eight months after he had heart surgery for blocked coronary arteries.
In the final two episodes of the fifth series of his Prime Video documentary, Clarkson's Farm, the 66-year-old presenter informed his farm manager, Kaleb Cooper, and land agent, Charlie Ireland, about his condition. The scenes, filmed last year and released on Tuesday night, show the former Top Gear host stating: 'I've got cancer.'
Clarkson explained that he had a medical check in May, followed by a biopsy that revealed the cancer. He described it as aggressive but noted it was caught at a very early stage. 'If I hadn't have got myself checked out and they hadn't caught the problem early, this could well have been my last harvest. It's only because they did catch it early, there's every hope that I'll be harvesting this farm for many, many years to come,' he said.
When Cooper asked about the type of cancer, Clarkson initially declined to specify, saying: 'Where it is, is of no concern to anybody.' However, later scenes after the procedure revealed it was in his prostate. 'The prostate, 10% of it's dead. The 10% where the cancer is,' he explained.
The series ends with Clarkson in a hospital bed, referencing his earlier heart operation. 'So we started season five in a hospital bed and here we are at the end of season five, I'm back in a hospital bed. Some of the treatment has gone awry, let's say. I'll probably be here for a little while,' he said.
He addressed viewers directly: 'What I wanted to say was: if this is all successful, I'll see you for season six. And if it isn't, I won't. Take care, everyone.'
On Tuesday evening, Clarkson warned fans on social media about the 'sombre news' in the episodes, describing them as 'a difficult watch' and 'really, really difficult.'
Following the release, Prostate Cancer UK thanked Clarkson for raising awareness. Chiara De Biase, the charity's fundraising and health strategy director, said: 'Thankfully he found the disease at an early stage, but sadly this is still not the experience of many men across the UK. Over 10,000 dads, brothers, sons and friends are diagnosed too late for a cure every year.' She urged men to use the charity's online risk checker or consult their GP.
Prostate cancer accounts for 28% of all new male cancer cases in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK. Clarkson had previously urged men to get checked, stating: 'I've had too many friends go down with prostate cancer, and all it takes to get on top of the situation early is a moment or two of being a bit cross-eyed.'
