Jeremy Clarkson’s hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm is fuelling a surge in applications to agricultural colleges across the UK, with teenagers citing the show as their first introduction to careers in land management and farming.
While Clarkson is the star of the programme, admissions officers say the real inspiration for many applicants has been Charlie Ireland — the land agent and agronomist nicknamed “Cheerful Charlie”, who has become an unlikely ambassador for rural land management.
The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) reported an 11 per cent increase in applications for its three-year rural land management BSc course compared with last year, with the version of the degree that includes a farm placement up 18 per cent. Applications for its two-year rural land management foundation degree rose by 14 per cent, while interest in its three-year agriculture courses climbed 4 per cent, and agricultural courses with farm placements grew 8 per cent.
Miles, an RAU spokesperson, said: “It’s looking like programmes like Clarkson’s Farm are having an effect. The interest goes beyond ‘I can do farming’ – there’s also rising enthusiasm for the range of professional roles involved in making farms succeed.”
At Harper Adams University, which runs its own 550-hectare working farm, staff have noticed a “ripple effect” at open days. Lecturer Andrew Black said Charlie Ireland’s role on the show had sparked curiosity among prospective students, while vice-chancellor Ken Sloan said the programme highlighted the mix of skills modern farming requires, from robotics and automation to land and property management.
“The strength of shows like this is how they show the breadth of experience needed, even for celebrities or soap stars, to make a farm work,” Sloan said. “That’s translating into a broader range of students exploring agri-food as a career.”
Plumpton College in East Sussex, which has doubled its student numbers over the past decade, has also acknowledged the “Jeremy effect”. Principal Jeremy Kerswell noted that while Clarkson’s Farm had raised awareness, growth in student interest was also the result of years of strong educational practice across the sector.
The show has also opened doors for non-farming entrants through initiatives like Kaleb Cooper’s bursary at RAU. The tractor driver turned farm manager launched the scheme in 2023 to support students without agricultural backgrounds. Successful applicants receive a £3,000 grant and the opportunity to apply for a work placement with Cooper or his partners.
Two bursaries are currently awarded annually, one funded by Cooper and the other by the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, with discussions underway to expand the scheme.
Rupert Jones, 20, from Bournemouth, who received a bursary last year, said the show gave him confidence to pursue farming.
“For a lot of people from non-farming backgrounds, Clarkson’s Farm presented it in a way they hadn’t considered. Seeing the challenges directly from Clarkson himself made me excited about the industry. It can be daunting if you don’t come from farming, but the bursary gave me confidence.”
With applications climbing and more young people inspired by what they see on screen, colleges say Clarkson’s Farm has given British agriculture a much-needed public relations boost — and a pipeline of future farmers and land managers.
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Clarkson’s Farm credited with surge in agricultural college applications