Clarkson's Farm series 4 – Kaleb Cooper: 'I think I have inspired a lot of people to go into farming'

A new series of Clarkson's Farm is just days away from returning to screens across the UK, and one of the show's leading stars has revealed what fans could expect to see at Diddly Squat Farm this time around.

Kaleb Cooper has been guiding former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson on his farming career since the show first broadcast on Prime Video in 2021.

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He has also played an instrumental role in showing how important farmers are in everyday life, and why the sector needs more support.

Kaleb Cooper on new Clarkson's Farm series

Ahead of the return of Clarkson's Farm on May 23, Mr Cooper discusses various topics including what it is like to work with Jeremy, what to expect in the new series and why he believes he has had a positive impact on the next generation of young farmers.

Having confirmed he was away from Diddly Squat Farm at the start of filming, due to embarking on his nationwide tour, The World According to Kaleb, the Chipping Norton-born farmer said farming was never far from his thoughts. 

"It is never ideal to be away, but because of the weather it was a perfect time to not be on the farm," Mr Cooper said.

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Away from Diddly Squat Farm

"But I just missed farming.

"It was quite weird, from doing my day job of being on a farm to then not being on the farm at all."

And he was not short of offers when it came to being asked to visit farms across the country while on tour.

Making time to visit farms while on tour

"Luckily, while I was touring around the country I met loads of different farmers, they would invite me to come and have a cup of tea on their farms," Mr Cooper said.

"So I still managed to speak to a lot of farmers and see how different things are grown, and different tool types and all this stuff.

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"It was like ‘Farmer Tinder'. They would pick me up outside the theatre and then drop me back. 

"My poor manager was like, ‘Who are you going with?', and I would say, ‘I do not know. I have never been there before!'.

"I went to a farm in Scotland, it was January, and the grass there was still growing.

"So it was weird to see the different climates all over the country. I am based in Oxfordshire, so at that time of the year, there was no grass growing at all.

"But their grass looked amazing. I also went to an onion farm in Kent.

"It was really interesting."

Working with Jeremy Clarkson

The Oxfordshire-based contract farmer said last year's harvest was challenging, mainly because of Mr Clarkson. 

"Jeremy and I argued quite a bit in harvest because it was so stressful for me trying to do my very best again as a contractor," he added.

"It was pretty tough mentally.

"The problem with harvest was because I am still young, I am 26, I think a lot of people can doubt me sometimes.

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"And I doubt myself sometimes because I think everyone does ask themselves if they're going doing things right.

"Jeremy really enjoys doing the harvest, but he is a pain.

"Life would be easier if he was not there during harvest, just because he is a bit incompetent!"

Growing a business and representing young farmers

Mr Cooper said he has 'ambitious plans' for the future, but he remains focused in ensuring farming is accessible for everyone if they are willing to work hard for it. 

"I want to try and grow my farming contracting business," he added.

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"I want to take over the world. I want to be the biggest contractor there is.

"I think a lot of people like me who have not come from a farming background get a lot of hate, people saying, ‘Oh, you are just a fake farmer. You have not been born into it'.

"It does not matter if you are not born into it or not. What matters the most is that you get out of bed in the morning and you go and farm."

"[And] I think I have inspired a lot of people to go into farming.

"We have just got to make sure jobs are there for them in the future.

"When I was on tour, the biggest highlight was seeing all the young farmers out there dressed like me, even with perms."

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