Jeremy Clarkson says farmers are taking their own lives because of badgers

Jeremy Clarkson has claimed that badgers are '100 percent' causing farmers to kill themselves.

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 see him explain 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, he welcomes cows to his land, and as with seemingly every new endeavour, the move proves 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' documenting his attempts to combat the protected creatures without killing them - a caveat he could do without.

"We found two badger corpses on the on the farm - I mean, there's about 100 badgers live here - we found two, had them both tested and they both had TB [tuberculosis]," he told LADbible.

"So we're living in constant fear that they pass that on to the cows."

Prime Video

He continued: "When you get cows, the biggest problem you have are badgers, by miles, just off the charts.

"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.

"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."

Vuk Valcic / Alamy Stock Photo

Indeed, while tuberculosis, bird flu and the like pose a serious threat to farmers, Clarkson said that 'government is the biggest disease of them all'.

"You just wouldn't believe how many things they tell you you can't do," he said.

"And if there are one or two things they've forgotten, they've got the council to tell you you can't do them."

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.