FROM PETROLHEAD TO PLANET PROTECTOR: Why Jeremy Clarkson is Britain’s most unlikely climate champion
He’s famous for fast cars and sharp words—yet new research shows Jeremy Clarkson has become one of Britain’s most trusted voices on climate change
Move over green gurus and well-heeled environmental elites—Britain’s most unlikely climate champion might just be Jeremy Clarkson. Yes, that Jeremy Clarkson: the bombastic Top Gear veteran famed for roaring engines, big opinions and a serious aversion to being lectured. But in the latest Britain Talks Climate & Nature report, ordinary Brits repeatedly cite him as a trusted voice on climate impacts facing real people—especially farmers.
Brits don’t want elitist lecture—they want real stories
In focus group discussions across the UK, participants pointed to Clarkson’s Farm as the most commonly noticed piece of climate-related content in entertainment—not a BBC documentary or an elite-sponsored campaign. It’s the show’s grounded look at extreme weather, crop struggles and the hard realities of farming life that resonates with viewers, not preachy messaging or technocratic policy talk.
“Whatever you think of Clarkson as an individual, he’s got the right sort of profile in his marmite character to really do something quite positive for the farming situation,” said one viewer from Plymouth—a sentiment that cuts across typical political divides.
Brits are tuning in but not being well served
The Britain Talks Climate & Nature research finds that 85 per cent of Brits watch TV most days, making television the dominant cultural activity in the nation. Despite this, most people don’t notice climate content in mainstream entertainment at all. The climate crisis still feels distant for many unless it’s tied into everyday British life—farming, wildlife, floods and heatwaves that affect communities across the country.
Crucially, the report shows that people are open to more climate content in culture—as long as it’s done well. They want genuine, grounded narratives, not preachy pontificating from politicians or polished soundbites from glossy celebrities. Audiences warm to characters who talk about safeguarding the future for their children or taking constructive climate action, like putting solar panels on their homes—and they react negatively to characters who claim climate change is a hoax.
That’s exactly why Clarkson’s presence matters. He’s not a classic eco-warrior preaching from an ivory tower; he’s a gruff, relatable figure who’s seen the climate crisis hit the heart of rural Britain—and viewers trust his instinctive, no-nonsense take.
A climate movement for ordinary people?
In a time of deep distrust in politicians and “climate elites”—the very people who often monopolise public debate—the fact that Brits look to figures like Clarkson, David Jason and David Attenborough for insight is telling. They want authentic voices, not policy speeches.
As one participant said, people are tired of doom-laden calls to arms—they want solutions, not scoldings. And Britain’s weather, from heatwaves to floods, is increasingly reminding viewers that climate change isn’t a future threat—it’s happening now.
Whether you love him or loathe him, Jeremy Clarkson has become an unexpected face of Britain’s climate conversation—and the public is listening.