Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson has disclosed that one of his dog Arya’s newborn puppies died on Friday morning, compounding the devastation at Diddly Squat Farm following Thursday’s confirmation of a bovine tuberculosis outbreak.
The 65-year-old broadcaster told Times Radio presenter Peter Cardwell that the double tragedy has left him struggling to cope. “I got up this morning and found one of my puppies has died,” Clarkson revealed during the interview, adding that farming had become unbearable this week.
The puppy’s death occurred just days after Clarkson had celebrated becoming a midwife to his dog Arya, who gave birth to eleven puppies over the weekend. He had shared his joy on social media, referencing the England women’s football team’s success whilst praising his pet.
TB Diagnosis Forces Two-Month Lockdown
The Chadlington-based farm in Oxfordshire faces immediate shutdown for a minimum of two months whilst awaiting retesting following Thursday afternoon’s positive TB test. The infected animal at the centre of the outbreak is a cow expecting twin calves, Clarkson confirmed on social media platform X.
“It’s awful, it is awful,” Clarkson told Times Radio. “The vet looks up as he did yesterday lunchtime and said ‘I’m really sorry this one’s failed’.”
Under UK law, all infected cattle must be culled regardless of pregnancy status or breeding value. “They have to be culled. It’s the law,” Clarkson responded to concerned fans hoping for the animals’ recovery.
Endgame Bull’s Fate Uncertain
Particular concern surrounds Endgame, the Aberdeen Angus bull featured prominently in the Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm. The prized animal, purchased for £5,500 (approximately $6,900) in recent episodes, returned an inconclusive test result.
“I couldn’t bear it if we lost him,” Clarkson wrote in response to fans’ queries about the bull’s status. Animals with inconclusive results for two consecutive tests are classified as “reactors” and must be isolated then sent to slaughter.
The presenter initially announced the outbreak on Thursday afternoon, stating: “We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.”
Mental Toll on Broadcaster
The accumulation of setbacks has clearly affected the former Top Gear presenter, who admitted the diagnosis has consumed his thoughts since confirmation arrived less than 24 hours ago.
“It’s only been not even 24 hours since I found out and it occupies my mind,” he said during his radio appearance. “Well it was occupying my mind but I got up this morning and found one of my puppies has died.”
Beyond the deceased puppy and TB outbreak, Clarkson mentioned additional concerns: “And we’ve got a very sickly calf.”
The broadcaster’s frustration was evident as he admitted: “Honestly, farming? I’m not enjoying it this week.”
Clarification Amid False Reports
Following inaccurate media reports suggesting the farm would close entirely, Clarkson took to X to clarify the situation. “There’s some wholly irresponsible reporting about the bTB outbreak at Diddly Squat. The farm is NOT shut. We just can’t buy or sell any cows.”
He had previously emphasised that whilst bovine TB doesn’t affect humans, it poses a severe threat to their cattle herd. “It’s Bovine TB that we have. It doesn’t affect people, just our poor cows.”
The lockdown means all cattle on the farm must undergo rigorous testing protocols, with the herd remaining under movement restrictions until passing two clear tests at 60-day intervals.
Agricultural Sector’s Greatest Challenge
Bovine tuberculosis represents the UK agricultural sector’s most significant challenge, forcing the slaughter of thousands of infected livestock annually. Between October 2021 and September 2022, the disease led to 22,934 cattle deaths across England alone.
The chronic respiratory illness, triggered by Mycobacterium bovis bacteria, spreads primarily through airborne transmission when infected animals cough or sneeze. The disease can also affect badgers, deer, goats and pigs, creating complex transmission networks between wildlife and livestock.
Oxfordshire sits within an “edge area” for bovine TB, meaning it serves as a buffer zone between high-risk and low-risk regions. Most herds in such areas face mandatory six-monthly TB tests by default.
Financial and Emotional Hardship
The disease creates severe financial strain for farming families. Whilst the government compensates farmers for culled cattle, paying between £82 for young calves and £5,267 for pedigree breeding stock, mandatory uncompensated costs average £6,600 per outbreak.
Annual compensation payments to farmers cost UK taxpayers approximately £150 million, with the total cost of TB control measures exceeding £3 billion when including testing, enforcement and accommodation expenses.
Clarkson has previously spoken about the threat TB poses to his livestock, particularly from badgers which can transmit the infection through close contact. In 2023, he revealed that two badger corpses found on the farm had tested positive for TB.
Badger Culling Controversy
Wildlife control remains contentious, with government data indicating 10,769 badgers were culled last year, contributing to approximately 240,000 deaths over twelve years. The practice continues despite mixed scientific evidence about its effectiveness in reducing cattle TB incidence.
“We found two badger corpses on the farm – I mean, there’s about 100 badgers live here – we found two, had them both tested and they both had TB,” Clarkson told LADbible in 2023. “So we’re living in constant fear that they pass that on to the cows.”
The presenter has criticised laws designating badgers as protected species, preventing farmers from taking direct action against potentially infected wildlife.
Latest in Series of Setbacks
The TB outbreak marks another blow for Diddly Squat Farm in what Clarkson has described as the “worst year ever” for his agricultural venture. The farm has faced drought, heatwaves and what he termed a “shocking” harvest throughout 2025.
Previous seasons of Clarkson’s Farm have documented numerous animal tragedies, including piglet deaths that left the presenter declaring he could no longer keep pigs. The emotional toll of watching animals die had become unbearable for the broadcaster, who admitted: “I like them too much.
As Diddly Squat enters its mandatory lockdown period, the fate of Endgame and other cattle remains uncertain pending further testing. The farm must wait at least two months before retesting can determine whether the infection has spread throughout the herd.
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