What is bovine tuberculosis, the disease that has broken on Clarkson's farm?
Jeremy Clarkson has said he is “devastated” after an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis has killed one of his puppies and forced his farm into lockdown.
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The presenter said the disease will see his Diddly Squat farm close for at least eight weeks, with cows needing to be culled to prevent the spread of TB.
Clarkson tweeted: “Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.”
Diddly Squat, in the Cotswolds, is the setting of Clarkson’s Farm series on Amazon, which has seen the 65-year-old learn how to manage an agricultural production over four series.
Clarkson previously shared on Instagram over the weekend that his dog Arya had given birth to 11 puppies, and sadly one of these was found to have died.
Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 31, 2025
What is bovine tuberculosis?
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis and can be deadly for cattle.
It can also infect and cause disease in badgers, dogs, cats, deer, goats, pigs, and camelids like alpacas and llamas.
Clarkson said: "You have a test every few months on the cows and then you sort of become blasé, it's a hypothetical threat.
"And then the vet looks up as he did yesterday lunchtime and said 'I'm really sorry this one's failed'. So that means we're now locked down and it's just dreadful, absolutely dreadful.”
Can TB be found in humans?
Yes, tuberculosis is an infection that usually affects the lungs and can be treated with antibiotics, but can be serious if not treated, states the NHS.
BTB is not usually found in humans, but it can present itself with a cough or fever, symptoms that you also have with tuberculosis. The bovine variety is rare in humans in the developed world but can be found in those who have consumed dairy from an infected cow or have worked with infected animals.
“I should clear this up, really. It’s Bovine TB that we have. It doesn’t affect people, just our poor cows,” Clarkson tweeted.
Who is Jeremy Clarkson?
- Age: 65 (born April 11, 1960)
- Programmes presented: (Include) Top Gear, Motorworld, Robot Wars, The Grand Tour, Clarkson's Farm, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
- Spouse: Lisa Hogan (partner since 2017). Previously: Alexandra James (1989-1990), Frances Cain (1993-2014)
- Children: Three children - Emily, Finlo, and Katya
- Books written: Twenty-one published, including The World According to Clarkson series, And Another Thing, and his recent Diddly Squat farm books