Jeremy Clarkson has admitted that major traffic caused by visitors to his shop at the Diddly Squat Farm prevented some people from getting to the local health centre for their Covid vaccinations.
The controversial former Top Gear presenter discussed the issue in Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm, a series that follows his attempts to run the farm in the Cotswolds.
In a preview of the first episode of the new series, seen by The Independent, Clarkson says the farm shop “turned out to be rather more popular than we’d expected”.
Speaking over footage of large queues, a rammed car park and road traffic, he continues: “Last week, the main road jammed up for three hours. People couldn’t get to be vaccinated at the health centre, and they couldn’t get a crew for the fire station.”
He adds: “I just didn’t think it through. I didn’t think this many people would come.”
The episode also shows plans being drawn up for a restaurant at the site, which was closed after an enforcement order from Cotswold council officials in August.
The restaurant, which was situated in a field at the 1000 acre site, prompted protests from people living in the village of Chadlington.
Many locals claimed the restaurant led to disruption and heavy traffic, disturbing the peaceful rural area.
Reports have suggested that Amazon is cutting ties with Clarkson after his recent vitriolic remarks about Meghan Markle.
This means that no new seasons of Clarkson’s Farm or The Grand Tour will be commissioned. Clarkson’s Farm had already been commissioned for a third series, which will air in 2024.
The second season begins on Amazon Prime Video on 10 February.
