Jeremy Clarkson has launched a scathing attack on UK advertising regulators after his latest beer advert—described as his “most expensive” and “most heartfelt” yet—was pulled from TV, radio and cinema for breaching compliance rules.
The advert, created to promote his Diddly Squat Farm’s Hawkstone lager, featured a 34-strong choir of British farmers singing a deliberately explicit rendition of a classic opera tune. Clarkson and his Clarkson’s Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper join in with the punchline: “F*** me, it’s good,” before Clarkson swigs a pint and signs off with, “Hawkstone. It is f****** good.”
Despite Clarkson’s claim that the ad was intended as a spirited tribute to British farming, regulators have deemed it non-compliant with advertising standards due to its explicit language. As a result, it has been banned from television, radio and cinema broadcasts.
Speaking from his Cotswolds-based Diddly Squat Farm, the 65-year-old presenter accused regulators of stifling creativity and humour.
“It’s a cock-up, as usual,” said Clarkson. “I’ve made my biggest, most heartfelt, and frankly, most expensive advert ever, and it’s been banned. The fun police in their beige offices have decided that the public can’t be trusted to watch it.”
“Apparently, it’s ‘not compliant’. With what, I have no idea. Common sense? If the regulators won’t let the people see it, then perhaps the newspapers will. I’m asking every editor in the country: will you publish my banned ad?”
The backlash comes just days after the final episodes of Clarkson’s Farm Season 4 dropped on Prime Video, with many fans expressing disappointment at the show’s darker, more downbeat tone.
While the first season of Clarkson’s Farm charmed viewers with its comedic take on the former Top Gear presenter’s foray into agriculture, the latest season focuses on Clarkson’s fraught attempt to open a pub—The Farmer’s Dog—and has been described by some fans as “too stressful to enjoy”.
On Reddit, viewers shared their reactions to the series’ tonal shift.
“This season was too much. It wasn’t the fun farming show with Jezza doing stupid and smart at the same time,” wrote one fan.
“Lacking in genuine laughs and feel-good moments,” said another, while a third noted that it felt “more like an existential crisis than entertaining chaos”.
Despite the controversy, Hawkstone lager continues to perform well commercially, buoyed by Clarkson’s cult following and his high-profile Amazon series. But as the battle between brand creativity and broadcast regulation continues, Clarkson’s frustration with what he sees as overreach from regulators appears unlikely to cool.
