Jeremy Clarkson’s diagnosis is a stark reminder that cancer can still scare and shock us all, writes Shelagh Fogarty

If you watch it, you will know what I mean. Kaleb takes no prisoners. He used to take the mick out of Clarkson for not knowing anything about farming, and all the rest of it. But now you can really see an almost father-son bond between the two men, and it is absolutely lovely. So the news of Jeremy Clarkson’s cancer diagnosis will have landed very heavily with Kaleb and the other people involved in the programme.

The Clarkson’s Farm social media account posted earlier that Jeremy Clarkson had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer during the final two episodes of the series. They said it was caught early and that he has since undergone surgery. And then there was this line from Clarkson himself: “If this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six. If it isn’t, I won’t.”

Classic Jeremy Clarkson.

I have always been a fan of his broadcasting. I used to love him on Top Gear. I think he was superb on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? You could see him rooting for people, particularly as they got closer and closer to the million. I think he really likes people, and that comes across very much on Clarkson’s Farm. There is a thorny side to him as well, of course. There is a punchy side to Jeremy Clarkson too. But I think he is one of those people whose presence is so big that when you see the fear and shock of a cancer diagnosis, it really moves you.

He is physically a big guy. Personality-wise, he is a big guy. He has got a big brain. He knows how to use it. He does not always please people with how he uses it, but that is okay. When you see somebody of that size of personality and presence, and then you see the fear and the shock when they are given that diagnosis, it is incredibly affecting.

I saw the same thing in my own dad when he was diagnosed.

If you are lucky enough to have had a great dad, you always think your dad is the greatest man on earth. I was lucky enough to have that. My dad was always, right to the very end, a big guy. He was gentle when required, but he was tough and strong, always moving forward. When cancer knocks on your door, that can give anyone a shock, but I always find it particularly moving to see a big man like Clarkson, or my dad, tackle that.

And so many of us know this feeling. A relative tells you. A friend tells you. You see the fear, and then you get down to it: the treatment, the support, the listening if they need to talk, not asking questions if they do not want to be constantly asked.

That can be difficult to navigate. Sometimes the best thing to do is simply ask: do you want me to visit? Do you want to talk? Do you want me not to mention it? Let them tell you how they want to proceed.

I think Jeremy Clarkson, in the same way he has done everything since he came onto my radar all those years ago, will make this count. I think he will make this count in the same way he made his farming adventure count.

There is already evidence of that.

We are talking about it, aren’t we?

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Listen to Shelagh Fogarty from 1-4pm Monday to Friday on the LBC app.

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