Jeremy Clarkson has raged against “useless” Gen Z for “not working” and blamed their parents for funding their lifestyles.
The former Top Gear host, 64, accused people born between 1997 and 2012 of “sitting on their a***s all day, not drinking, not driving, not s***ging, and most importantly, not working”.
Clarkson took aim at the generation, citing findings that between April and June last year, 872,000 people aged between 16 and 24 were not in education, training or work, with two-thirds not trying to get a job.
He wrote in his Times column on Sunday: “They all went to expensive schools and got 2:1s from a Russell Group university but despite all this, they don’t see to have learned anything at all.
“They think it’s OK to take and give nothing back, and as a result, I worry that this generational tidal wave of uselessness is going to cause some serious problems down the line.”
The Grand Tour star claimed Gen Z-ers’ are more focused on “hydrating,” getting “Om tattoos” and doing yoga than getting a job and warned that the country “will grind to a halt” if they are our future.
Clarkson said their parents are the “main problem”, insisting rising unemployment figures are caused by “the Bank of Mum and Dad”.
Clarkson argued that the working class portion of the generation are hard-working because they don’t have wealthy parents, praising the industrious young pot-washer at his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, and the electricians who helped renovate the venue.
He wrote: “Whereas people who do have access to parental generosity haven’t got that into their heads at all. They came out of Covid and thought: ‘This lethargy lark is sick.’”
The Clarkson’s Farm star then recalled his dad fearing the “world will end” with his son “in charge” when he was younger and preoccupied with wearing flared pants and playing rock music in his bedroom.
The broadcaster warned that with Gen Z, he is worried the world “probably will” end.
Clarkson has three children with his ex-wife Frances Cain - Emily, 30, Finlo, 27, and Katya, 24.
He is now a grandfather as Emily has two children of her own - Arlo Rose, two, and two-month-old Xanthe Fiadh Andrew.
The motoring journalist recently revealed he has overhauled his health and fitness after having heart surgery last year so he can spend more time with his kids and grandkids.
Clarkson had a stent fitted to his heart in October to improve blood flow after a “sudden deterioration” in his health.
