SACRAMENTO — The California legislature passed a bill Wednesday that would require the state to track the use of pesticides that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS chemicals, which can be harmful to humans.
The bill, by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank), heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who can sign it into law or veto it.
Schultz’s original bill would have phased out pesticides with PFAs and put California in line with Maine and Minnesota, which passed laws restricting their use.
The state’s powerful agricultural industry objected to the proposed ban. Nearly half of the country’s vegetables and more than three-quarters of its fruits and nuts come from California, according to the state.
The revised bill instead requires the Department of Pesticide Regulation to flag which pesticides have PFAs in its public state database.
The vast majority of PFAS chemicals have not been tested for human health effects, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Studies show that exposure to certain levels of PFAs may lead to decreased fertility and developmental delays in children and increase the risk of cancers.
State regulators and environmental groups disagree on the definition of the chemicals, making it difficult to find a consensus on regulations.
The European Union has prohibited 23 of the PFAS pesticides in use in California, including bifenthrin, trifluralin and flufenacet, according to Environmental Working Group, a sponsor of Schultz’s bill.
Schultz expressed disappointment after his bill was changed this summer but said Thursday that the remaining regulations are “a vital step toward ensuring California’s agricultural legacy is defined by health and innovation, not by the accumulation of toxic PFAS in our soil and water.”
“We need to help our farmers transition away from these persistent chemicals so that California can be a global leader in food safety,” he added.
The Magic Castle is getting in on the theme park game.
The famed Hollywood institution is teaming up with Knott’s Berry Farm for its after-hours Halloween event, Knott’s Scary Farm, now in its 53rd year. The Magic Castle will supply the artists and show direction for a production that is expected to run nightly in the park’s recently refurbished Bird Cage Theatre.
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The theme park initially reached out to the Magic Castle last year, says Payden Adams, vice president of entertainment for Knott’s Berry Farm, but the castle was in the middle of a leadership reorganization at the time. With that completed, a partnership could finally begin.
“It is just astounding what they’ve done with the Bird Cage Theatre,” says Jessica Hopkins, granddaughter of castle pioneers Bill and Irene Larsen and the castle’s chief operating officer. “Magic Castle magicians have been performing in there for decades. It just felt right.”
The magic shows will take place at the park’s recently refurbished Bird Cage Theatre.
(Kyusung Gong / For The Times)
Curating Knott’s magic show will be Rudy Coby, a resident magician at the Magic Castle. Coby performed at Knott’s about 35 years ago and credits the park in helping him get his start. He says the new show, “Occultum,” will vary by week with different performers lined up throughout the Halloween season. Knott’s Scary Farm begins Sept. 17.
And yet, says Coby, “Not every magician is for this audience.” So what’s the differentiating factor for a Halloween magic show?
“It’s a little more edgy,” Coby says. “You really have to grab their attention. It’s the TikTok generation.”
Some of the illusions Coby says he will bring to Knott’s Scary Farm would be “too intense for the Magic Castle.”
“The ideas I’ve had, with chainsaws and cutting off my limbs, I couldn’t get away with at the Magic Castle,” he says.
“But you can here,” says Hopkins.
The Magic Castle-headlined show is not the only new addition to Scary Farm in 2026. Here are two other reasons I’m looking forward to the event.
Inked: A new maze with killer vintage cartoons
Concept art for the new Knott’s Scary Farm maze, Inked.
(Knott’s Berry Farm)
One of the two new mazes coming to Knott’s Scary Farm will rely heavily on black-and-white, vintage-style animation. Inked, as it’s called, will be set in the 1930s, and was introduced at a media event with a song-and-dance production that recalled Disney’s classic Silly Symphony “The Skeleton Dance.”
The story centers on Mortimer Morbid, a deadbeat, down-on-his-luck animator whose career changes — not necessarily for the better — when it’s discovered his blood can bring his drawings to life. Of course, cartoons infused with blood don’t have the most altruistic desires.
Inked designer Daniel Miller says the maze took two years to create, largely because Knott’s conceived the animation for the walk-through in-house with a team of four. Most every room in the haunted house is expected to feature original media, as the animated creations will be represented both in their cartoon form and as costumed characters.
And it’ll be gruesome.
“We kind of geared it around the notion that they’re bloodthirsty,” Miller says of the killer ‘toons. “We see all the animators in various stages of disembowelment.”
Expect the unexpected with ‘Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge’ and Unearthed
Concept art for Unearthed, a new Knott’s Scary Farm maze.
(Knott’s Berry Farm)
Knott’s Scary Farm, unlike its main SoCal competitor, doesn’t rely on known film and television properties. That means the event can generally get a little … weirder. You see that in its mazes, as noted above, as well as in its theatrical productions. Also new this year is a show titled “Voodoo: Bayou’s Edge,” which takes place on an outdoor stage. The production centers on a voodoo queen and the mysterious happenings in a cemetery. Knott’s is pitching it as a music, dance-focused show.
And while voodoo can potentially be a culturally sensitive subject to tackle in a theme park, the show comes from the mind of the respected Rovin Jay, who has long been closely involved in the park’s spectacular “Ghost Town Alive!” Expect “big dance numbers” and something “really sexy,” says Adams.
Another new maze, Unearthed, will be set in the present day but takes its cues from films such as “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Mummy” as it deals with a supernatural archaeological dig. Maze designer Jon Asperin says it will have numerous interactive elements, such as effects triggered by guests pulling a lever.
“Having the ability to come up with original stories lets us tap into the nerd in all of us,” says Asperin. “We don’t feel restricted by certain IP or things that may not be appropriate. We get a chance to challenge ourselves with trying out new things that some folks won’t take a risk on.”
This week in SoCal theme parks
The Disneyland attraction Mad Tea Party as it was under construction just months before the park opened. The image is from the documentary “Disneyland Handcrafted.”
(Disney+)
A must–see Disney history event. Nonprofit creative institution Ryman Arts, in partnership with Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum, will host a talk and cocktail reception centered around a screening of Leslie Iwerks’ documentary “Disneyland Handcrafted” on Sept. 27. It’s a charity event, and a good one, as the panel lineup is top notch. Historian and author Tim O’Day will moderate a talk that includes the film’s producer, Mark Catalena, former Imagineer-turned-historian Tom Morris and current Imagineer Emily “Emo” O’Brien, who oversees creative at Disneyland and is leading the team behind the just-announced makeover of Tomorrowland. Don’t expect any insights on the latter, of course, but do anticipate a lively talk on the evolution of Disneyland. Tickets start at $125 and are on sale now.
Exciting Disneyland construction news. Big changes are coming to Disneyland, and while many are years away, the positive sign is that the park is wasting no time in getting started. There are now indications of construction in Disneyland’s esplanade between its two parks. This will pave the way for a new parking garage, of which groundbreaking has just begun, as well an entrance experience on the eastern side of the resort. This is the first of many steps, but one that must be completed before Disney begins its wider expansion that could bring attractions such as “Avatar” to the resort.
Ride report
A photo of the Haunted Mansion’s new gingerbread house, as snapped from my ride vehicle.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Merry Christmas! Yes, that’s right, as the Haunted Mansion has been given a Christmas-heavy makeover, as always focused on “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” (And yes, before the debate begins, it’s clearly a Christmas movie.) While I prefer the original Haunted Mansion, there are plenty of fun and clever details in the seasonal makeover that still make it a must-experience attraction. The attic scene, for instance, is full of clever nods to Disney history, including a Rolly Crump-inspired melting candelabra man. Each year I wonder if what I’m seeing is brand new, or was always there, such as what appeared to be a tiny bride figurine.
But one change is guaranteed: Each season Disneyland’s team concocts a new gingerbread house for the ballroom diorama. This year’s edition is a giant, candy-infused music box-like creation, which gradually opens as guests glide past it and a skeleton pops out. The concoction is designed in the shape of the Haunted Mansion itself, so it’s a little mansion-within-a-mansion. And, bonus, the room smells like gingerbread.
The best thing I ate at the parks this week
The delicious pumpkin cookie from Disneyland’s Harbour Galley.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
I love a cookie, and Disneyland’s Harbour Galley has the best one on the property this Halloween season with its pumpkin creation. They’re small-ish — three or four bites — but come in packs of 6 ($8.49) or 13 ($14.49). They’re soft, slightly chewy and addictive. I love it when I get a little brown sugar crystal in my mouthful. The pumpkin flavor isn’t overpowering. It’s closer to a ginger snap than it is a slice of pumpkin pie, meaning it has just the right balance of sugar and spice. It‘s also, it should be noted, one of the best values at the resort for a dessert item. I get a pack of 13 and have breakfast for a week.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
The Walt Disney Co. stated that it will soon reimagine Disneyland’s Tomorrowland at its fan convention D23. The move has been one fans have long clamored for.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The topic consuming most Disneyland fans for the next few years will be the Tomorrowland reimagining. The project is just getting started, and I’ll refrain from offering a wishlist. Let the Imagineers do their work, I say, although I consider all of it, save for the monorail and Space Mountain, on the table. Gut it. Start over. But reader Peter La Barba of Long Beach wrote in with a request that I wouldn’t disapprove of.
“Whatever they do, I hope they restore the two Mary Blair murals that were in Tomorrowland,” La Barba wrote. “I’d like to see optimism restored to Tomorrowland. I was about 3 or 4 when we went to the park in August of 1955 and I wanted to live in that future. Not the incessant war future of ‘Star Wars.’”
Hear, hear. The murals of animator/fine artist Blair were a wonder, full of children of the world in celebration mode. Flying contraptions! Communication devices! Satellites! Planets! I don’t have an image safe to use, so head over to Disney history site Yesterland for a look. The two murals lasted until the ’80s and ’90s, and replacing them was a mistake that’s only looked more shortsighted over time. As Blair’s work continues to grow in stature, who needs another “Star Wars” painting?
The café is open seven days a week serving up cooked breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and kids meals.
There’s also a selection of homemade cakes and alcohol-like beers and boozy hot chocolates.
To entertain the kids, visitors can get competitive on the mini golf course found on-site which costs £5pp.
And children can burn some energy at the play area which has swings, a slide, rock wall and climbing frame.
If that isn’t enough, it even has its own shopping village.
One of the shops is AVM Furniture which sells a selection of antique, vintage and modern furniture as well as garden ornaments.
It even has its own B&B which starts from £68 based on two people sharingCredit: Hopley House
JO’S Accessories is a ladies’ boutique, there’s also The Crystal Boutique, SKULLS n’ MOR, E a pet shop and a reptile rescue sanctuary.
Families have raved about it, with one saying: “Absolutely perfect place for a large family to stay.”
Another added: “Me, my partner and my two children visited Hopley House last month….. to say we were impressed is an understatement!”
A third simply called it a “hidden gem”.
It also holds events throughout the year – at the moment it has a mini fairground is back with tea cups and a mini big wheel.
Visitors can also stay at Hopley House in one of its rooms which are found inside a converted barn.
Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast and use the kitchen to make a home cooked mealCredit: Hopley HouseCurrently there’s a mini fairground at Hopley HouseCredit: Hopley House
Some of the rooms have original barn features, each with en suite or a private bathroom.
Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast from the café or head to the farm shop for a homemade pizza.
Anyone staying overnight can also make use of a kitchen area which has a fridge and microwave.
Rooms start from £68 based on two people sharing or £42 for single occupancy.
One overnight guest said in a review: “Lovely stay at Hopley guest house, huge big room and the comfiest bed ever! The owner made us feel very welcome.
“My only regret is we didn’t book for longer.”
If you fancy another trip to the farm shop, check out the ‘Harrods of the North‘ that’s loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.
Countryfile’s Adam Henson has highlighted a worrying issue facing Britain’s farming industry after a set of figures left him deeply concerned
Adam Henson(Image: BBC)
BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has highlighted a serious concern facing the farming industry after new figures revealed a sharp rise in the number of people dying at work.
The farmer, who runs Cotswold Farm Park, said the statistics had prompted him to think carefully about the risks faced by those working on farms and whether more could be done to prevent fatal accidents.
Writing in BBC Countryfile Magazine, Adam said: “There’s so much bad news around that it’s easy to be numbed by the torrent of negative stories in the media. But occasionally something hits the headlines that stops me in my tracks – and that’s what happened when the latest figures for deaths in the workplace were released.”
Figures showed 33 people died while working in agriculture during the 2025/26 financial year, compared with 23 the previous year and 27 in 2023/24.
Adam pointed out the disproportionate number of deaths in the sector, noting that agriculture employs only around 1% of the British workforce but accounts for approximately one in five workplace fatalities.
The figures also prompted him to reflect on safety procedures at his own farm, where both employees and contractors carry out a wide variety of work.
He explained that risk assessments and training were already part of everyday operations, but said the figures were a reminder that it was worth looking again at how hazards were identified and managed.
Adam stressed that there was no single reason behind the number of deaths and that every incident had its own circumstances. However, he highlighted the nature of agricultural work as one possible factor.
Long days, physically demanding jobs and working alone can all create additional risks, particularly when there is nobody nearby to spot a problem or intervene.
“If there are no colleagues around and no chance of a second opinion (or a crucial second pair of eyes), it’s easy to imagine how something potentially dangerous could go unnoticed,” he wrote.
Farming also involves a huge variety of potentially hazardous tasks, with workers dealing with livestock, machinery, chemicals and other equipment.
Adam said the rural setting could sometimes make it easy to forget that a farm is still a workplace, and compared it with more conventional working environments such as factories and workshops.
He also recalled Apaches, the notorious public information film from the 1970s which highlighted the dangers children could face on farms. Adam described the film as “terrifying to watch”.
Research by the Farm Safety Foundation found that 88% of farmers surveyed believed complacency, including overconfidence and a false sense of security, was a major contributor to accidents on farms.
Several initiatives are attempting to improve safety, including the Foundation’s Yellow Wellies campaign, which provides advice and training. Meanwhile, charity RABI has developed FarmersAid, a free app intended to support people who are alone after a serious accident while they wait for emergency assistance.
Adam’s comments come after he recently raised another concern affecting the farming industry during a Q&A with fellow farmer Olly Harrison at Cotswold Farm Park.
Asked what they wanted from the Government, Harrison argued that farming needed to receive greater attention.
Adam subsequently discussed food fraud, saying he had been told by someone at the Food Standards Agency that the problem was worth £9 billion in the UK.
He said: “I was with someone from the Food Standards Agency and food fraud in the UK has a value of nine billion pounds. So stuff that is on a glass or a packet or says it’s something that it’s actually not.”
He went on to claim: “Huge amount of food coming into the country that is, you know, meats that is unlabelled or out of date or not fit for human consumption. Honey, olive oil and dairy products are the three biggest fraudulent foods.”
But it was the farm safety figures that left Adam with a simple hope for the future.
“Like everyone, I’m hoping and praying for zero avoidable deaths on our farms in the future.”
New Delhi, India – The vapour heat treatment (VHT) facility in Rehmanpur village of Lucknow, the capital of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh – used to sterilise fruit and vegetables – was preparing for the busiest time of the year when Japanese quarantine inspectors turned up in March.
Export documents had been cleared, shipping schedules finalised, and growers in the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat reserved their best Alphonso and Kesar mangoes for export to Japan, one of Asia’s premium markets.
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Everything appeared set for the season to begin when production ground to a halt. Japanese inspectors reviewing the fumigation, disinfection and certification procedures raised concerns about the whole process, prompting Japan to suspend imports of the fruits.
However, on March 31, the plant protection authorities in Yokohama sent a formal letter, saying all Indian mango shipments bearing inspection certificates issued on or after March 25 would be barred until inspectors could confirm that operational standards had improved.
It was the first major disruption in India-Japan mango trade in nearly two decades. In 1986, imports of the fruit were barred over fruit fly concerns. Restrictions were lifted in 2006 after the country built VHT infrastructure, strengthened pest surveillance and agreed to annual inspections.
Japan ‘gave us credibility’
The 2026 halt now affects six approved varieties of mango – Alphonso, Kesar, Langra, Banganapalli, Chausa and Mallika – covering the peak export window of April through to June.
Japan imported roughly $1.54m worth of fresh and processed mango products from India between 2025 and 2026. It might appear to be a modest sum, but the Japanese market holds huge significance for the rest of the global trade. Japan pays premium prices for mangoes and the country’s approval signals quality to the rest of the world.
The suspension came at an already challenging time for mango farmers in India. Sustained heatwaves through the Konkan belt had destroyed much of Maharashtra’s Alphonso crop. Geopolitical disruptions in West Asia had pushed freight costs higher, and exporters who had spent years establishing relations with the Japanese suddenly faced cancelled contracts and inventories rotting in storage.
A man collects discarded mangoes at a market in New Delhi, India [Kamran Yousuf/Al Jazeera]
Vikram Shah, a Mumbai-based exporter who shipped about 2.5 tonnes of mangoes to Japan in 2025, highlighted the importance of its market.
“Japan was never our biggest market in terms of quantity, but it was the one that gave us credibility,” Shah told Al Jazeera. “We spent six years building trust with buyers there. I travelled to Osaka twice, sat with importers, visited their cold storage facilities and learned exactly what they expected from us. Relationships like that take years to build and can disappear in a single season.”
Rajesh Patil, an Alphonso grower in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, said his family had cultivated mangoes on a three-acre (1.2-hectare) orchard along the Konkan coast for two generations. The Japanese market, he said, consistently delivered far higher returns than domestic auctions, leading him to invest heavily in meeting Japan’s stringent import standards.
“We upgraded the orchard because Japan rewarded quality,” Patil said. “I spent nearly ₹80,000 [$840] on grading and handling equipment, attended pest-management training sessions, and changed the way we harvest and pack fruit,” he told Al Jazeera.
“The Japanese market paid almost twice what I could earn locally. When you make those investments, you expect the system supporting exports to be as reliable as the fruit you grow.”
China objects to rice
On April 17, China revoked the import licences of three Indian rice exporters after the General Administration of Customs rejected their consignments, claiming traces of genetically modified organisms (GMO).
The exporters disputed the finding, pointing out that their shipments received GMO-free certification before their departure and that the Indian government also said all domestic paddy and rice fields are free of genetic modification.
Rice makes up more than 20 percent of India’s agricultural exports, with a record-breaking $12.5bn of it shipped in the last financial year (2025-26). The three suspended exporters now face an uncertain path back into China, rattling their community.
A trader transports sacks of rice through a market in New Delhi [Kamran Yousuf/Al Jazeera]
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, notified the companies and, on June 8, published a list of laboratories approved for GMO tests on China-bound shipments.
SK Singh, an agricultural scientist in New Delhi, told Al Jazeera the dispute exposed weaknesses in India’s testing system.
“Our labs built expertise in pesticide residue and aflatoxin testing because that’s what most markets wanted,” he said. “China’s demand for GMO verification calls for a different scale of capacity.”
The exporters’ certificates came from accredited labs even if the certification network remains uneven, he added.
Only a handful of facilities, concentrated in New Delhi and Hyderabad in the southeastern state of Telangana, run the required protein analysis, forcing exporters in northern Punjab and Haryana states to ship samples hundreds of kilometres away.
Fragmented supply chain
There were other warning signs before the crisis hit mangoes and rice.
Hong Kong suspended several Indian spice products over pesticide residues, and testing found quality deviations in nearly 12 percent of the samples. The European Union also raised the inspection frequency on Indian cumin to 30 percent in January 2025, following 312 spice alerts on its rapid alert system in 2024.
Vendors sell spices at a wholesale market in New Delhi [Kamran Yousuf/Al Jazeera]
Ananya Bose, a food safety scientist in Kochi in the southern state of Kerala, traced the problem to a fragmented supply chain.
“A farmer sells to an aggregator, who sells to a trader, who supplies a processor. Somewhere in that chain, the record of what was sprayed disappears,” she said. “The trail is detailed until the first sale, then it effectively ends.”
Bose has pushed for mandatory digital pesticide records, since regulators abroad expect traceability from field to shipment, a standard many states still treat as optional.
These setbacks may read as isolated incidents, but they expose a gap between India’s agricultural strength and the traceability, food safety and certification standards that Japan, the EU, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada now demand. Those standards are tightened by consumer pressure for transparency, climate-driven pest concerns, food-security strategy and the COVID pandemic.
At the same time, competitors have moved faster, with Thailand building a nationwide traceability programme, Vietnam investing in farmers’ training, and Brazil and Chile pouring money into cold-chain systems.
People move through a busy wholesale market in New Delhi [Kamran Yousuf/Al Jazeera]
India’s progress has lagged with just 207 registered pack houses, 72 percent of them concentrated in Maharashtra. Moreover, scarce cold storage facilities and logistical costs eat up roughly 15 percent of export value, almost double that of advanced nations. Small farmers owning less than 2 hectares (5 acres) of land make up more than 86 percent of India’s cultivators, making standardisation difficult at scale.
“India built its strategy around producing more, while premium markets reward proving quality along the way,” agricultural economist Anil Gupta told Al Jazeera.
Gupta pointed to some real gains: recognised laboratories grew from 22 to 89 over the past decade, and approved export certificates climbed from roughly 61,000 to more than 170,000.
“The progress is measurable, but so is the scale of the challenge,” he said. “These improvements mark a beginning, well short of the finish line.”
Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh, a senior official in the government’s Department of Commerce, has called for tighter controls on antibiotic residues, pesticides and aflatoxins in spices, tea, fruits and vegetables. He said funds have been set aside to upgrade laboratories, though without a timeline.
“The government is strengthening the system from testing to inspection and traceability. We are tightening controls on antibiotic and pesticide residues and aflatoxins, expanding laboratory capacity, introducing risk-based inspections and using digital systems and rapid screening to identify problems faster. The objective is to help exporters meet stricter global food-safety standards while protecting India’s access to international markets,” said Ghosh.
India still holds just 2.4 percent of global agri-exports despite ranking as the world’s second-largest agricultural producer, with processed exports stuck near 17 percent, against 25 percent in the US and 50 percent in China.
And growers are facing the fallout.
Gujarat’s Kesar mango farmers lost their strongest Japanese buyer. A basmati rice farmer in Haryana’s Karnal said local prices had already dropped 8 percent. And a turmeric processor in Kerala’s Erode said residue testing cost him 15,000 rupees ($157) last quarter, almost 10 percent of his profit.
Agriculture still employs about 42 percent of India’s workforce while producing less than a fifth of the national output.
“This is about far more than a few rejected shipments,” Gupta said. “The countries that succeed will consistently meet the standards global buyers demand.”
Indian farmers have long proven they can grow for the world. The task now is building systems that convince the world to keep buying.
However, after overcoming the shock of saying goodbye to their beloved goats, Kelvin and Liz reflected on the farm’s future and where they see themselves.
As the couple gathered around a campfire with their children, Liz shared, “I think this has been our hardest year, our most challenging, but I feel like we’ve learned the most this year on our own, and I feel like we’ve come on so far in the last 12 months.”
Kelvin asked, “Would you consider yourself a farmer now?”
He added, “I think this year I feel confident to say, yeah, we’ve got a farm, we’ve got a family farm, and this is what we do. We started with just a few sheep, and now we’ve got a flock of sheep, loads of pigs, cows, feral kids.”
“The kids are the biggest animals on the farm,” Liz laughed as Kelvin continued, “It’s safe to say we’re certainly on our way to becoming farmers.”
Liz went on to ask her husband whether he was “happy with this life,” to which he said, ” Yes. I’m committed that this is the right thing for us.
“We’re absolutely on the right path. There’s no question that we just got to absolutely embrace it and be in the moment, be present.”
“Cheers to that,” Liz said before Kelvin shared his dreams of moving away from their Cheshire Farm.
He stated, “I would like a ranch in America one day.”
“I mean, I’d like to be in the Bahamas, but one step at a time,” Liz told Kelvin.
This isn’t the first time Kelvin and Liz have spoken about moving to America; during an appearance on James Martin’s Saturday Morning, one thing stopped them from pursuing their dream.
The ITV chef pointed out, “You were originally going to go to America. This was a life-changing thing you decided, and you got the visas and everything, didn’t you?”
“As two actors, we thought, you know, Kelvin had been in Emmerdale for 20 years, and we kind of wanted to try something different, and as two actors, we thought, ‘Well, why not? Let’s go to Hollywood and LA and see what happens’,” Liz explained.
“And we only had two children at the time, but unfortunately, Covid stopped that, and they actually stopped the visas. We never got the visas completed because they said, ‘There’ll be a pause on this for at least two years’.
Fletcher’s Family Farm is available to watch on ITVX.
George and Amal Clooney evacuated their 425-acre Provence wine estate in southeastern France amid the wildfires spreading across Europe.
The “Jay Kelly” star revealed the news in a letter to Didier Bremond, the mayor of the town of Brignoles, east of Marseille.
“Dear Didier, [a]t this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment,” the letter read.
“As we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise 2 things, first we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and [I] are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we’ll be part of making it whole.
“We love Brignoles and our friends who live there.”
The fire near Brignoles sparked on Wednesday and burned about 250 acres. The Brignoles fire was significantly smaller than the massive wildfire that recently ravaged southwestern France near Bordeaux, where 84,000 evacuees were allowed to return home Thursday as firefighters gained control over flames that had burned an area four times the size of Paris.
In December, the French government announced that the Clooneys, including their 9-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, were awarded citizenship.
The Clooneys bought property in France — a farm, he recently told Esquire — in August 2021 for $8.3 million, when their twins were 4. He said it was a “much better life” there for the children.
“Yeah, we’re very lucky. … A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like — they’re not on their iPads, you know?” he said in the interview, published in the magazine’s October/November issue.
“I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France — they kind of don’t give a s— about fame. I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”
George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin, a human-rights lawyer, tied the knot in September 2014 in Venice, Italy.
The Associated Press and former Times staff writer Christie D’Zurilla contributed to this report.
THE kids will really dig fossil hunting, seal spotting and making a splash in this off-grid Dorset farm, says Art Director Laura Cunningham.
Here’s how a safari tent adventure will turn into the ultimate family staycation triumph.
A safari tent adventure in Dorset is the perfect family staycation, above the famous coastlineCredit: Getty Images
THE PAD
The spacious safari tents have proper beds and a well-equipped kitchenCredit: Tom & Lizzie Redman PhotographyThey also boast a wood-burning stoveCredit: Supplied by East Shilvinghampton Farm
When I break the news to my workaholic husband Barney and our kids Ellis, 10, Nate, eight, and six-year-old Violet, that we’ll be without electricity and Wi-Fi for four days, I’m met with horrified faces.
But Feather Down’s East Shilvinghampton Farm offers a wholesome family escape that means screens are fast forgotten.
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The spacious safari tents have proper beds, a wood-burning stove and a well-equipped kitchen, and the kids spend hours feeding the goats and climbing trees – even walking the alpacas with farmer’s son Henry, £20 per animal.
Toasting marshmallows on the campfire and cooking pizzas, £12 each, in the communal pizza oven also creates magical memories.
And be sure to follow Weymouth’s Fossil Trail, from Alexandra Gardens to Hope Square, to hunt down fossil sculptures and learn more about the prehistoric creatures this coastline is famous for.
They’re freshly made throughout the day, and we devour the hazelnut ripple and cherry flavours, £2.50 per scoop (Rossisweymouth.com).
Meanwhile, at Watch House Cafe in Bridport, we tuck into delicious crab focaccia with fennel salad and aioli, £14.50, while overlooking picturesque West Bay, AKA the cliffs made famous by Broadchurch (Watchhousecafe.co.uk).
Closer to the campsite, The Sunray pub in Osmington has a great outdoor play area and dishes including duroc pork loin served with bubble and squeak cake, scrumpy apple compote and garden sage jus, £23.75, while the kids’ sticky toffee pudding, £4, doesn’t disappoint either (Sunrayosmington.com).
BOOK IT
Safari tent stays for six at East Shilvinghampton Farm cost from £399 for four nights (Featherdown.co.uk).
Social News Assistant Editor Samantha Bartlett visited a picturesque lavender farm. However, although it may look like it could be Provence in France it’s actually based right here in the UK
We visit UK lavender farm that could be mistaken for Provence
Provence, in the south-east of France, is globally famous for its expansive lavender fields, which blanket the region in vibrant shades of purple and violet every summer. Known locally as “blue gold,” lavender farming is a cornerstone of Provence‘s agricultural economy and cultural identity, historically fuelled by the perfume industry in nearby Grasse.
So you would be forgiven for thinking that the stunning lavender field I visited recently is based there. However, instead of being in France, it’s situated right here in the UK. Lordington Lavender Farm is a family-operated, working farm situated in the South Downs National Park near Chichester, West Sussex.
Founded in 2002 by local farmer Andrew Elms following his shift away from dairy farming, it covers 10 acres of stunning French Maillette lavender – a variety exceptionally valued for its superior essential oil quality.
The farm, which is perfect for a sunny day out, stands out particularly because it functions with a rigorous commitment to conservation, employing no chemical fertilisers or pesticides, rendering it an environmentally-friendly sanctuary for bees, butterflies, and more than 12 red-listed bird species.
As it remains a working commercial farm, it welcomes visitors for just a short window in July annually when the flowers achieve their peak purple display.
This weekend (Sat July 18-Sun July 19) marks the final Open Days, so if you fancy experiencing this magnificent attraction, you’ll need to get there sharpish.
Visitors will find countless chances to wander amongst the lavender rows while capturing plenty of photographs and observing local wildlife such as bees and butterflies.
I visited recently with my family and my young son, who adored racing up and down the rows and discovering the butterflies amongst the lavender. There are also plenty of opportunities for snapping photos, including an egg chair, toy tractor and a table and chairs set to pose alongside.
Beyond the lavender fields themselves, visitors can opt to take a tractor ride down to the farm from the car park, which naturally my little one adored.
Educational talks about lavender are available too, alongside a ‘Hay Play’ zone for children, featuring some small slides, bowling and tin cans for entertainment.
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In addition to this, there’s a new maize maze. The weekend of my visit featured alpacas, lambs and Pygmy goats as well, though sadly they won’t be present this coming weekend.
Despite being outdoors in the sun, there’s ample shade and numerous refreshments to sustain you, ranging from cakes to lavender-flavoured ice cream, fresh strawberries and Pimm’s.
Visitors can even browse the shop and purchase their pure, steam-distilled essential oils, natural soaps and potted lavender plants to bring back home.
All in all, we enjoyed a wonderful day out in a distinctive setting that I’m confident my little one will cherish for years ahead, so I’d strongly suggest heading down for a visit if you’re available this weekend.
Clarkson’s Farm Season 5 ended with a devastating turn of events for Jeremy Clarkson.
Jeremy Clarkson was left devastated in Season 5(Image: Amazon Prime)
Jeremy Clarkson discovered the shocking truth about the TB results at the end of Clarkson’s Farm Season 5.
Clarkson’s Farm fans are keen to find out what happened to Diddly Squat Farm after it was suspected one of Jeremy Clarkson’s pregnant cows had TB (Bovine tuberculosis).
Welsh vet Dilwyn Evans had been carrying out routine tests on Clarkson’s cattle when he found a potential ‘fail’ on one of the cows, who happened to be pregnant.
In heartbreaking scenes in the final episode of Season 5, the first ever cow to have been bought to the farm, whilst pregnant with two calves, was taken to be slaughtered after the suspected outbreak of TB lead to two inconclusive tests.
Clarkson was later left with his “blood boiling” after a post-mortem of the cow showed she did not actually have TB, but the farm was still required to stay in lockdown.
Here is all you need to know about the current status of Diddly Squat following the TB scare.
The outbreak took place in August of 2025, before Season 5 of Clarkson’s Farm was released, with the former Top Gear host announcing it on X.
Whenever a cow fails a TB test, the entire herd has to be placed on lockdown and any offending cows are legally required to be slaughtered. Thankfully, Clarkson revealed in a column for The Sun in March 2026 that the farm was out of lockdown measures.
He said: “After seven months of lockdown, Diddly Squat farm became officially TB-free this week.”
Unfortunately, there was some bad news to share, as he went on to explain: “But before we had a chance to celebrate, we found out that one of our donkeys has laminitis and must be put down.
“In farming, it seems you are allowed one bit of good news, but it must always be accompanied by some kind of disaster.”
The star previously explained how much of a toll the TB lockdown had on the farm, as it was not allowed to operate as a business.
He said in his column for The Times: “All the barns we needed to store the grain in, we now have to convert into a cow hospital.
“We’ve got another calf with pneumonia, so that needs to be housed. And we can’t buy or sell a cow now because the farm officially, you know, has TB.”
After a devastating time, Clarkson and the rest of the team can now look forward to better luck with TB no longer looming over them.
The Sheep Detectives is a charming murder mystery film that arrived on the streaming service back on June 24, reports the Express.
The film centres on a flock of sheep assisting a bumbling police officer in solving the murder of their cherished shepherd George Hardy (portrayed by Hugh Jackman).
Expect unruly, talking sheep and abundant countryside chaos that makes Jeremy Clarkson’s Easycare sheep appear positively angelic. The Sheep Detectives features an impressive ensemble including Succession’s Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine from Purple Hearts and Masters of the Universe, Booksmart’s Molly Gordon, The Whale’s Hong Chau, and Emma Thompson.
The stellar line-up also includes Veep’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad, The I.T. Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd, One Battle After Another actress Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey, and Brett Goldstein.
Despite its fantastical concept, the film holds a 95 per cent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and garnered glowing reviews on IMDb.
One viewer declared in their 10/10 review that The Sheep Detectives is “an absolute must see”.
The user explained: “The Sheep Detectives is a clever, charming, sweet, heartwarming and hilarious romp with a very intelligent script and an excellent ensemble cast (both the voice cast and the on screen live action actors).”
They added: “The biggest pleasant surprise of 2026 so far.”
A second reviewer gave the film a 9/10 rating, writing: “This is a brilliant piece of work. It is almost perfect and is the most fun I have had in the cinema this year. An absolute A+ movie. I can’t think of a single way this movie could be made better.”
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A third viewer also awarded 9/10 stars, commenting: “This is an amazing film that gets you emotional and talks about grief and how we handle things while also telling us and showing us how do we deal with the grief of losing loved ones when it happens to us?”.
Clarkson’s Farm favourite Kaleb Cooper sat down with lead actor Jackman to chat about the film, even introducing some lambs into the mix — which behaved impeccably for the X-Men legend, yet proceeded to kick the farmhand square in the face before defecating on him.
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The much-loved Clarkson’s Farm star wrestled with a troublesome lamb before telling Hugh: “This is bad, you’re holding a sheep perfectly fine.”
Hugh quipped about the sedate lamb in his arms: “That’s because he knows he’s loved.”
The Sheep Detectives is streaming on Prime Video now
Clarkson’s Farm Season 5 is streaming on Prime Video now.
It was a big night for the cast of Clarkson’s Farm as they won big at the TRIC Awards, beating competition from Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celeb
Clarkson’s Farm won big at the TRIC Awards(Image: PRIME VIDEO)
The red carpet at the TRIC Awards was absolutely awash with chatter as TV and radio stars descended on London’s Grosvenor House hotel. While the trophies were a huge focus, it was clear the conversation was just as lively off-stage as it was on it.
With the World Cup in full swing, football fever had clearly followed the celebrities inside, with plenty of excitement ahead of England’s big match against Ghana.
Among those soaking up the atmosphere was Coronation Street star Gareth Pierce, who couldn’t resist teasing upcoming drama on the cobbles.
He hinted that things are about to take a very dark turn for Todd Grimshaw as he discovers the truth about Theo’s killer and promised fans that the storyline will “change everything”.
Elsewhere on the carpet, TRIC President Dan Walker was in high spirits as he reflected on both the awards and the wider political mood of the moment.
Speaking candidly, he said: “I think Sir Keir Starmer is a decent man, I’ve interviewed him over the years, but that doesn’t automatically make you a brilliant prime minister. It’s a really hard job.”
The comment sparked plenty of conversation among guests, many of whom admitted the current political climate is never far from industry talk.
Actress Kellie Shirley also weighed in on the day’s sporting focus, revealing that England fever has taken over at home. “It’s such an exciting time,” she said. “Everyone’s talking about the game, and we’ll definitely all be watching together. You can’t escape it at the moment – the World Cup is everywhere!”
The mix of sport, politics and soap drama set the tone for a typically lively TRIC atmosphere, but the biggest focus remained on the winners: LadBaby taking Content Creator (sponsored by Rayo), The Celebrity Traitors winning Game Show of the Year, and Clare Balding crowned Sports Presenter of the Year.
In entertainment, Clarkson’s Farm continued its winning momentum, taking top honours beating I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Strictly Come Dancing and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show in a category packed with long-running audience favourites.
Drama proved equally competitive, with Adolescence emerging as one of the key winners after trumping Call the Midwife, Death in Paradise and Slow Horses, highlighting another strong year for British scripted television.
Daytime programming also saw familiar names rewarded, with A Place in the Sun being recognised for its enduring appeal.
Factual honours went to 24 Hours in Police Custody, while food programming show Come Dine with Me took the gong.
The combination of sporting fever, political chat, soap spoilers and star-studded celebration ensured another unpredictable TRIC atmosphere – proving once again that when Britain’s broadcasters come together, the conversation off-stage is every bit as compelling as the awards themselves.
Fans have been gripped by the latest dramatic season of Clarkson’s Farm, but where is Diddly Squat actually located?
Clarkson’s Farm location and how to get there(Image: GETTY)
Fans should definitely pay a visit to The Farmer’s Dog.
Clarkson’s Farm fans want to know exactly where the iconic Diddly Squat Farm location actually is.
Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson returned to Prime Video this year with another gripping instalment of the documentary series, which sees him taking on numerous farming challenges to highlight the insurmountable tasks facing modern British farmers.
However, Jeremy faced even more hardship in Season 5 as it kicked off with his emergency heart surgery in October 2024 and concluded with the announcement that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Thankfully, his cancer is now in remission and Diddly Squat is back in business for Season 6, which is expected to arrive on screens next summer.
Now filming is once again underway, let’s take a look at the precise location of Clarkson’s Farm.
Where is Clarkson’s Farm?
Jeremy’s Diddly Squat Farm is located in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Oxfordshire, England.
It’s just a short drive from the market town of Chipping Norton to the north, while to the south is the village of Chadlington.
Diddly Squat’s nearest major city is Oxford, which is about a 50 minute drive away.
The farm is also drivable from London in around two hours.
For visitors who want to reach the farm by public transport, the easiest route from London is the Great Western Railway from Paddington station to Charlbury.
From there, it’s just a 20 minute bus ride on the X9, which runs past the Diddly Squat Farm Shop managed by Jeremy’s partner Lisa Hogan.
If you’re travelling from Birmingham, it’s the Cross Country train to Worcestershire Parkway you want before getting the GWR to Charlbury and taking the same X9 bus. This can take around two and a half hours.
In addition to the farm itself, Jeremy also owns the iconic pub The Farmer’s Dog, which serves Diddly Squat’s very own Hawkstone lager.
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The pub is just a half-hour’s drive away from the farm by the Asthall Barrow roundabout on the A40, a few miles from the town of Burford.
While it’s definitely possible to visit both the farm and The Farmer’s Dog in the same day, those using public transport will find the journey a little trickier.
From the shop, you can take the X9 bus back past Charlbury and down to the town of Witney. This takes about 40 minutes.
Visitors can then take the shorter 234 bus to Burford and it’s then just a few minutes’ walk to the pub. All in all the journey should take just over an hour.
Clarkson’s Farm is available to stream on Prime Video.
Fans want to know if a sixth season of Clarkson’s Farm is in the works after Jeremy Clarkson’s cancer scare
Jeremy Clarkson on Clarkson’s Farm Season 6
Everything you need to know about the latest Clarkson’s Farm update
Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is officially in production at Prime Video.
The announcement comes just days after the former Top Gear star revealed his cancer diagnosis in the fifth season’s penultimate episode.
Speaking on Instagram in front of a Lamborghini tractor, Clarkson said: “I am delighted to tell you that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is currently being filmed.”
Despite being diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, the presenter has now confirmed he is cancer-free. He urged men to get tested for the disease.
The news has delighted fans who spotted camera crews at Diddly Squat Farm in recent weeks. The upcoming series is expected to be released in summer 2027.
Season 5 proved challenging for the Diddly Squat crew, featuring Jeremy’s emergency heart surgery and the devastating loss of a pregnant cow due to tuberculosis concerns.
However, there were positive moments including the success of an AI-powered tractor and Kaleb Cooper welcoming his third child with fiancée Taya.
Jeremy Clarkson took to Instagram this weekend with an exciting update on his hit Prime Video series
Jeremy Clarkson officially confirms Clarkson’s Farm Season 6
The update comes days after his cancer diagnosis was revealed.
Clarkson’s Farm Season 6 is officially in the works at Prime Video, Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed.
The news comes days after the fifth outing of the former Top Gear star’s hit series concluded with the devastating news that he has been diagnosed with cancer.
Jeremy took to Instagram this weekend with a filmed update in front of a Lamborghini tractor.
“So, bit of a year,” he began. “But, I am delighted to tell you that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is currently being filmed. It’s in production.
“And that’s particularly good news for me because… well, if you know, you know.
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“And, if you don’t know, you need to watch Season 5.”
Despite Jeremy being diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, which devastated his farming colleagues Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland in the seventh episode of season five, he’s now confirmed to be cancer free.
The presenter took to Instagram just a couple of hours before the Season 6 announcement to assure fans he’s “perfectly fine” and urging men to get tested.
His update also arrives after Jeremy was spotted with camera crews on Diddly Squat Farm, leading to speculation that Season 6 was almost certainly underway.
Fans can now rest assured that the upcoming instalment is officially in the works and is likely to be released in summer 2027.
One of his followers replied: “I love you Jeremy, love the show and the rest of the crew.”
Someone else exclaimed: “Best news of the day!” And another said: “Wonderful news [heart emoji].”
“Absolutely thrilled,” another fan commented. “Thrilled as your show is one of my all time favourites, but even moreso that you’re all clear health wise! Excitedly awaiting season 6.”
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Season 5 was a rocky road for the Diddly Squat crew, which also includes Jeremy’s partner Lisa Hogan and dry stone walling expert Gerald Cooper.
In addition to Jeremy’s cancer diagnosis, the latest instalment kicked off with Jeremy’s emergency heart surgery in late 2024 and saw one of his toughest farming experiences yet as his pregnant cow was slaughtered due to “inconclusive” tuberculosis tests.
However, there were plenty of uplifting moments too as the AI-powered AgBot tractor proved a success and Kaleb welcomed his third child with fiancée Taya.
Clarkson’s Farm is available to stream on Prime Video.
ITV series Fletchers’ Family Farm has been a hit with viewers since it launched in 2023
The Fletchers are returning for two more series of their show(Image: ITV)
Fletchers’ Family Farm fans have declared they “can’t wait” after the stars posted an adorable video confirming what lies ahead for the show.
Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher’s programme – which chronicles him, his wife Liz and their children on their Peak District farm – has proven enormously popular with audiences since its 2023 debut. And earlier this month, ITV announced it had commissioned two further series, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The Fletchers have now posted a clip on Instagram featuring their daughter Marnie revealing the announcement. The nine-year-old was spotted calling enthusiastically to her dad, who was occupied feeding the sheep.
“I’ve got some news!” she shouted, but Kelvin said he couldn’t hear her.
She then attempted to inform little brother Milo, who was riding his toy bike, before calling out to her mum Liz and twin brothers Mateusz and Maximus, who are four. “What did she say?” they asked each other.
Marnie then declared: “Guys! The Fletchers are back. Series five and six, let’s go!”
Viewers were delighted by the clip, which was posted on Instagram with the caption: “WE ARE BACK! Who’s excited?!”
“Love this!” commented one individual, while another wrote: “Absolutely love this show, always lifts me up, such a lovely family.”
Another described the programme as “one of the best things on TV”.
“Excellent news,” remarked someone else, while another fan exclaimed: “Fletchers are BACK let’s gooooooooooooooooo.”
“Great news!” observed another viewer, as one admitted: “I’m that excited I almost peed my pants.”
“Wonderful wonderful news and amazing family,” gushed one delighted viewer, while another declared it was the “best show” on television.
Kelvin, who is widely recognised for his portrayal of Andy Sugden in ITV’s Emmerdale, first chronicled his agricultural journey in Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure, before he and Liz went on to star in Fletchers’ Family Farm together.
The show has proven to be a hit with audiences keen to follow the family’s escapades on their 120-acre farm, and has now run for four successful series.
Reacting to the confirmation of two further series, Kelvin and Liz said: “We’re delighted to be returning for series five and six. What started as a simple desire to share our family’s journey has grown into something far bigger than we ever imagined.”
Jeremy Clarkson, the British television host best known for BBC’s “Top Gear,” revealed this week that he is battling prostate cancer.
The 66-year-old personality unveiled his diagnosis in the two most recent episodes of his farm-keeping series “Clarkson’s Farm,” which streams on Prime Video. He detailed his condition to co-hosts Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland during a filmed discussion about the upcoming harvest at his Diddly Squat farm.
“I’ve got cancer,” he tells his co-stars, after informing them he will need to take some time away from his farm duties. “It’s aggressive but it’s really early.”
Clarkson also told Cooper and Ireland, who seemed visibly stunned about the health revelation, that he has known about his cancer diagnosis since May. The second part of the series’ two-part finale, released Wednesday, concludes with the “Clarkson’s Farm” crew recapping the ups and downs of their harvest year and with the show’s namesake back in a hospital bed. The season began with Clarkson discussing treatment he received for a coronary issue.
“Some of the treatment’s gone a bit awry … so I’m gonna be here for a little while,” he tells the camera crew.
He adds: “If this is all successful, I’ll see you for Season 6, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care everyone.”
Clarkson warned of the somber mood of the two episodes on Instagram, informing fans in a video post that they would be anything but “bucolic and charming, and cheerful.”
“They’re a difficult watch,” he says, “they’re really, really difficult.”
Before “Clarkson’s Farm” debuted in June 2021, Clarkson was best known for co-hosting BBC’s popular car show “Top Gear.” BBC fired the host after he was involved in a physical altercation with a producer. Clarkson went on to co-host “The Grand Tour” on Prime Video alongside Richard Hammond and James May, who departed “Top Gear” shortly after their co-host’s firing.
Following Jeremy Clarkson’s emotional cancer admission, questions are being asked about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has already been rocked by behind-the-scenes health battles
Jeremy Clarkson warns Clarkson’s Farm viewers of ‘difficult watch’
The latest episodes of Clarkson’s Farm have taken a devastating turn, with Jeremy Clarkson announcing his shock cancer diagnosis.
The former Top Gear host reduced farm manager Kaleb Cooper to tears as he revealed he’d known about the “aggressive” prostate cancer since May. Following treatment, Clarkson confided in Kaleb that he’d had “10 per cent” of his prostate removed via ultrasound, explaining: “The prostate, 10 per cent of it’s dead. The 10 per cent where the cancer is.”
In the season finale, Clarkson addressed viewers from his hospital bed, sharing that there had been complications during treatment. The 66-year-old told fans: “What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.”
Over on Instagram, ahead of the new episodes dropping, an emotional Clarkson warned followers that a “really, really difficult watch” was in store.
Holding back tears in a candid post, Clarkson said on Tuesday: “Ordinarily, we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes, which drop in the middle of the night tonight, are none of those things really. They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really, difficult.”
Fans of the hit farming show will know all too well that Clarkson is not the first cast member to share his health battles, with other stars being struck with serious illnesses throughout its five-year run.
Now questions have emerged about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has been running since June 2021, with Prime Video yet to issue a formal statement on its continuation.
At present, the show has not been officially recommissioned. In February, Clarkson himself confirmed that, while some recording for the upcoming series had already taken place, some pausing had been required due to the weather.
In his column for The Sunday Times, the presenter wrote: “There’s no filming happening on the farm at the moment. Or farming. It hasn’t stopped raining since the beginning of the year, so I can’t plant anything, and I can’t do anything with my cows either because we are still locked down by TB.”
But planning documents submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council reportedly suggest that season six is in the works. According to The Independent, part of it reads: “Season five will air this year and season six has been commissioned and will air in summer 2027.”
Clarkson’s enthusiasm for the farming show shows no sign of waning. Speaking previously with The Sun, he said: “We’ll definitely do six – Amazon want to (do series six), and I want to. I’ve got a good idea for six. I said I’ll stop doing them when there are no more ideas. But I’ve got two quite good ones, so we’ll do six, and then we’ll see…”
The beloved farm has been plagued by setbacks and personal health struggles. Back in 2024, during the show’s third series, farmhand Gerald Cooper revealed he had prostate cancer.
The fan favourite, known for his distinctive mullet, has since confirmed that he is thankfully cancer-free. Discussing his diagnosis with Prostate Cancer UK, Gerald shared: “It was a shock – but everyone has really supported me.”
He added: “I received tremendous support from family, friends and Prostate Cancer UK – which was also a lifeline. I made it through, and I’m now cancer-free.”
Wanting to do something “joyful” following his recovery, the 77-year-old went on to launch a racehorse syndicate to help raise some all-important awareness of prostate cancer. The horse itself is, of course, named ‘The Mullet’.
Then, in June 2025, it was revealed that castmate Alan Townsend – aka Alan the Builder – was awaiting heart surgery. While carrying out building work on the Farmer’s Dog Pub, Alan confirmed to Clarkson that he had a “quadruple bypass coming.”
When asked whether he had any fears about the procedure, Alan admitted: “Oh, [I’m] frightened to death. I don’t even like thinking about it. That’s why I keep going to work — keep out of the way. They told me to really just take it easy and stay at home. But if you stay, you’ll be worrying to death about it.”
In the latest season, fans were delighted to see Alan back at work after undergoing a gruelling procedure. Opening up to Clarkson about returning to normality, Alan confirmed that the op had been “very painful”, adding, “I don’t want to show you on camera, but it’s a nasty cut.”
Alan shared that he’d been hospitalised because of issues with the arteries in his heart. He explained: “One had collapsed and curled itself up, and the others were about 85-90 per cent blocked. Horrible. I had a bit of a problem with the lungs, I lost 36 per cent of the lungs.”
Coincidentally, Alan and Clarkson had been neighbours at the same hospital, with Clarkson undergoing follow-up heart check-ups at the same time.
The presenter underwent a heart procedure in October 2024, after experiencing a tightness in his chest. Medics revealed he’d been mere days away from a heart attack, in a scare that led to him having a stent fitted.
Opening up about his brush with catastrophe on the first episode of season five, Clarkson blamed his health woes on the pressures involved in launching The Farmer’s Dog. He told Kaleb, “I’m back and not dead. The Grim Reaper will have to wait. It was f***ing close, though.”
Clarkson’s Farm season 5 is on Prime Video
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.
Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson headed to the auction house on the Prime Video series
Jeremy Clarkson’s net worth after farm show proves massive success BigCityLife
Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper bid farewell to an iconic member of Diddly Squat Farm.
Season five of Clarkson’s Farm saw Jeremy selling off the fan-favourite Lambo tractor after it wasn’t getting much use, following his purchase of the AgBot in the new series.
The AgBot, a fully autonomous, driverless tractor, was busy ploughing the fields of Diddly Squat Farm and sowing seeds.
Jeremy and Kaleb could monitor the tractor’s progress on their computer while they got on with other things on the farm, which meant the 2016 Deutz-Fahr tractor wasn’t getting much use.
The veteran broadcaster decided to sell it off, explaining in voiceover: “”The green Lambo hadn’t turned a wheel in weeks, so I decided to sell it, which meant getting it valued by an agricultural auctioneer.”
The valuation on the prized piece of agricultural kit from Oliver Godfrey left Jeremy somewhat surprised and dismayed.
Oliver responded: “It’s not the easiest thing to sell in the world, I’ll be honest, but I would look somewhere in the region of between £50,000 and £60,000.”
Jeremy revealed that the valuation was “quite a lot less” than he’d initially paid for it when he bought it for £80,000.
On the day of the auction, Jeremy didn’t appear too hopeful about his Lambo’s prospects and said: “Here it is. There’s going to be a frenzy of bidding…”
However, the bidding did start to pick up as people put in their offers for the green tractor that Jeremy had customised and adorned with Lamborghini badges.
As the offers went up, Jeremy remarked: “We are actually getting closer to the £80,000 that I had paid for it.”
Despite the valuation, both Jeremy and Kaleb were left astonished and rather relieved when the Lambo ended up getting snapped up for the sum of £70,500.
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Once the hammer went down, Jeremy said: “Well, it was a financial hit, but it wasn’t a financial kick in the nuts.”
The auction comes ahead of tomorrow’s Clarkson’s Farm season five finale, when audiences will get the final two episodes titled Sickening and Reaping – referring to the TB outbreak and the harvest at Diddly Squat.
Clarkson’s Farm season 5 concludes tomorrow on Prime Video
Country singer Tyler Farr is recovering after he missed his weekend show.
The “Rednecks Like Me” singer was slated to perform at the Goshen Stampede in Goshen, Conn., on Saturday, but the festival announced just hours before gates opened that Farr had an accident on his Chapel Hill farm, about 45 minutes outside of Nashville.
“Due to a motor vehicle incident on his farm, Tyler Farr was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with a severe concussion,” read the Instagram post. “Tyler Farr will no longer be able to perform at the Goshen Stampede on June 13, 2026. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and will share additional event information as it becomes available. We wish Tyler a speedy recovery.”
David Foster and the All Stars took Farr’s place in the lineup. The event featured two rodeos with bull riding and steer wrestling, monster trucks, carnival rides and country music. Farr shared Goshen Stampede’s post to his since-expired Instagram stories but hasn’t shared any further updates.
Representatives for the country musician did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
This isn’t the country music star’s first rodeo. Farr, who released “Quit Bein’ Country” last fall, stopped by Taste of Country’s podcast to promote his new EP and told the outlet that he got into a car wreck on the way there and said his truck was too high.
“There’s a big lift on it, and if it had been a normal vehicle, it’d probably been something you could have just buffed out, but the reinforced-steel, ultra off-road bumper I have broke a taillight and knocked the bumper off [the other vehicle],” he said, adding that his truck didn’t have a scratch. “Luckily the person was cool, cop was cool.”
Apparently the last time he was in an accident (before the one in December), his 2013 hit “Redneck Crazy” went to No. 1 on the charts.
The singer has also been candid about his love for country living and turkey hunting.
“When I moved to Nashville, it wasn’t to be in the Hall of Fame,” he told Land.com last year. “That wasn’t a goal … I’m a pretty simple person. My goal was literally to be on the Opry, have a hit song, little country house in the woods, some land, a tractor.”
SUMMER has officially arrived with a sea of fragrant flowers, as the UK’s largest lavender farm opens its gates this week.
Get ready to stroll through 110 acres of picture-perfect purple fields, with an array of summer activities on offer for all the family.
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Castle Farm Lavender Fields are about to reopen to the public for the summerCredit: Castle FarmVisitors can pay up to £7 to take a one hour stroll around the purple fieldsCredit: Castle Farm
Castle Farm Lavender Fields are opening for the summer season this week, with the public now able to enjoy its purple blooms once again.
Nestled between Eynsford and Shoreham in Kent, this sprawling lavender paradise will welcome visitors from Friday, June 19, remaining open until the end of July.
Opening in 1998, Castle Farm’s enterprise has bloomed into the UK’s largest lavender field, receiving five consecutive gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Visitors wanting to indulge in the delightful flowers can take part in a variety of different activities, including a one-hour stroll though its most famous field, Darenth Valley.
A whole host of workshops and events are also on offer across the season, including lavender wreath-making and breathwork sessions, and lavender picnics.
Castle Farm also is home to an award-winning farm shop and dedicated Lavender Barn, where visitors can choose a fresh bunch of purple flowers as the ultimate souvenir from the day.
The farm shop also offers an array of Kent-based produce, including apples from the Castle Farm orchard and even lavender-flavoured gin.
This sprawling lavender field is only a short, one-hour drive from London, where citygoers can go relax and enjoy the beautiful countryside scenery.
Lavender delights can also be bought from the dedicated, on-site farm shopCredit: Castle FarmPicnics, wreath-making and breathwork are all on offer this summerCredit: Castle Farm
Previous visitors have raved about their day trips, with one saying: “It’s so beautiful here, it’s well worth a visit”.
Others praised the “stunning views” and “beautiful scent” in the fields.
Tickets for the lavender field walks are priced at £7 for over 16s, and £4.50 for children, with infants under three able to visit for free.
Dogs are welcome for the one hour lavender walk and guided field tours, but not for lavender picnics, wreath workshops or breathwork classes.
Castle Farm is opening to the public again on June 19, with tickets for its various activities on sale now.
In earlier episodes, he revealed that Diddly Squat Farm had welcomed some unexpected new residents — a flock of Guineafowl donated by one of his daughters.
In episode five, which has just dropped, Jeremy explained how his partner Lisa Hogan had called him back to the farmyard because things had gone suspiciously “too quiet”.
Guineafowl are well known for being boisterous birds, so alarm bells rang when the pair couldn’t hear a single sound coming from the area where they were being kept.
Clarkson’s eldest daughter, Emily, had presented her father with the birds, but Jeremy soon concluded: “They are not in here, are they?”
As he and Hogan searched the surrounding area, Jeremy exclaimed: “Oh s***”, upon spotting Guineafowl feathers strewn across the grass.
Moments later, he uttered: “Oh no,” as he made the grim discovery of a dead Guineafowl. “Oh and another one, for god’s sake,” he added, as he uncovered more of the stricken birds.
“That’s a fox, isn’t it? Just killing for fun,” he concluded. “How am I going to explain this? Granddaughter comes for the weekend, ‘Can I go and see the Guineafowl?'”
He went on to brand the fox a “murdering b******”, though there was a glimmer of hope as one bird had managed to survive by flying up into a tree.
Later in the episode, Jeremy returned to check on the surviving bird, only to find it had also fallen victim to a fox. “I started the day by checking in on our one remaining Guineafowl,” he narrated, as viewers watched him calling out for the bird.
“Oh no, f*** sake, this is just beyond belief,” he exclaimed, holding up the stricken bird, which had been completely decapitated.
“It’s just bitten its head off, it hasn’t even eaten it. He’s had the lot.”
Jeremy rounded off his narration by saying “there was, though, only time to seethe, not mourn, because today was a big day on the ag-bot front”.
He was subsequently shown attending to his agricultural robot, a piece of kit he had purchased to ease the burden of farm life following his health scare.
