Charity slams Jeremy Clarkson for 'demonising badgers'

A charity has accused Jeremy Clarkson of 'demonising badgers' after he claimed the creatures are causing farmers to take their own lives.

The much-anticipated second season of Clarkson's Farm was released on Friday (10 February), and this time around he takes on cattle - which means he also takes on badgers.

Speaking to LADbible on his Diddly Squat farm, the 62-year-old was unequivocal in his assessment of the 'evil, vicious b******s' and the impact they're having on farmers across the country.

You can watch him explain his views below:

In the second season of the hit Prime Video series, in which Clarkson attempts to run his 1,000-acre farm in the Cotswolds, his endeavours continue to be expensive, challenging and inhibited by the government.

In the case of cattle, tuberculosis-carrying badgers cause the biggest headache for Clarkson, with episode four 'Badgering' highlighting how much the problem costs taxpayers.

Clarkson subsequently attempts to combat the protected mammals without killing them - though this is a caveat he could do without.

"When you get cows, the biggest problem you have are badgers, by miles, just off the charts," he said.

"Obviously, you have Brian May and Chris Packham and so on who say, 'Well, they're cuddly little things, and Wind in the Willows, and aren't they lovely?'

"They're not - they're evil, vicious b******s who eviscerate hedgehogs.

"The reason you don't see hedgehogs, they go, 'Well people aren't looking after them.' Yes they are - badgers are eating them."

And unable to kill badgers, Clarkson claimed that farmers are subsequently killing themselves.

Prime Video

"Badgers are protected," he said. "And badgers give cows TB.

"You'd be amazed how many farmers are committing suicide, genuinely, you'd be staggered... When their herds get TB, because that's it, you know, you're locked down."

Asked whether badgers, in an indirect way, were causing farmers to take their own lives, Clarkson replied: "No, in a direct way. In a direct way. They definitely 100 percent are."

But while Clarkson was crystal clear in his view of the creatures, he's been accused of being 'spectacularly misinformed' on the subject.

Rob Gray / Alamy Stock Photo

Peter Hambly, executive director of the Badger Trust, criticised Clarkson's 'wildly inaccurate' comments, arguing that he is using badgers as a scapegoat.

"Unfortunately, Jeremy Clarkson is part of a long tradition of demonising badgers in this country," Hambly told LADbible.

"The effect of bovine TB outbreaks on herds and farmers is awful, but don't blame badgers. Cows are the primary spreaders of bovine tuberculosis in England, not badgers.

"It's an infectious respiratory disease - over 94 percent of cattle infections are cow-to-cow. So the biggest risk factors for any cattle herd are cow-related - poorly regulated cattle movement, poor biosecurity, and outdated, unreliable cattle testing. Yet it's easier to scapegoat badgers."

He continued: "The government has slaughtered 200,000 badgers in England since 2012 - around half of Britain's estimated badger population.

"Yet there has been little effect on the disease because science consistently shows that badgers are not the problem. Scotland and Wales don't cull badgers and have better results dealing with the disease."

Hambly added: "It's sad that Jeremy is so spectacularly misinformed and decided to pick on a protected wild animal that has lived in this country for over 250,000 years and whose future is so threatened."

Here's a list of the leading mental health helplines and services that are just a call away in the UK:

- Samaritans are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and will talk to you about anything that's bothering you. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email [email protected] or visit some branches in person. You can also call the Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 from 7pm to 11pm every day.

- The Mix take calls from under 25s on 0808 808 4994 from 4pm to 11pm Monday to Saturday. You can request support by email using the form on The Mix website or using their crisis text messenger service.

- Papyrus HOPELINEUK is there for under 35s struggling with suicidal feelings, or those who are concerned about a young person who might be struggling. You can call them on 0800 068 4141 every day from 9am to 12am. You can also email [email protected] or text 07860 039 967.

- The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) caters specifically to males on 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight every day. Alternatively, you can use their webchat service.

- The Nightline website allows students to see if their university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.

- Switchboard is there for people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and can be reached on 0300 330 0630 from 10am to 10pm every day. You can also email here or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.

- The Community Advice and Listening Line (C.A.L.L). is available for those who live in Wales and can be contacted on 0800 132 737, which is open 24/7. You can also text 'help' followed by a question to 81066.

Topics: Jeremy Clarkson, TV and Film, Charity, Animals

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey