Clarkson's Farm star Gerald Cooper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, Jeremy Clarkson confirmed in the season three opener.
Cooper, 76, has become a household name thanks to his hilarious back-and-forths with Clarkson over the first two seasons but didn't appear in the first four episodes of season three where the announcement was made.
It was left to Clarkson to break the news to fans as episode one of season three drew to a close after he took a phone call while in his tractor.
The details of the phone conversation were left rather vague but after Clarkson hung up, he told the camera: "Gerald's got cancer. Oh, s**t."
Cooper's diagnosis and Clarkson's reveal occurred in the late autumn of 2022 when season three had begun filming.
At the start of episode two of the new series, Clarkson explained further: "Gerald had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Clarkson's Farm star Gerald Cooper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer
AMAZON
"It's something that Kaleb (Cooper) and I discussed while trying to do what our absent friend normally does," his narration signed off as the camera cut to him and his farm manager trying to mend a wall.
Discussing the Chadlington native's diagnosis, Clarkson did his best to remain upbeat.
"I've been phoning around, doctors and things I know, and his odds are really good. But it's scaring him to death," he told young farmer Cooper who in turn responded: "He doesn't understand."
Clarkson agreed: "No, I know he doesn't understand and he's bewildered because, for obvious reasons, somebody said, 'Look, it's cancer', and that's all he heard.
"He's desperately upset (and) terrified. Poor man," Clarkson added before his new farm manager replied: "He's a strong man.
"He's worked the land all his life, he's not unfit is he? He could do a day's work at 74."
As mentioned earlier, Clarkson's 'Head of Security' doesn't appear himself in the first half of season three but it's likely an update from the man himself will arrive in the second part as Cooper features in the promo trailer for the new episodes.
With news of Cooper's diagnosis only just coming to light, there have been few updates about his health on social media since he received the news.
However, the Diddly Squat farm shop's Instagram account did reveal the now 76-year-old is still hard at work with a snap showing him repairing a wall at Diddly Squat on April 23.
On February 26, the same account also marked the Clarkson's Farm star's birthday with a post dedicated to him, which was soon flooded by well-wishers.
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Clarkson's Farm's Jeremy revealed Gerald's cancer diagnosis in the season three opener
AMAZON/INSTAGRAM/JEREMY CLARKSON
Cooper was also on hand to celebrate wrapping up the third season of Clarkson's Farm on October 16, 2023.
Clarkson shared a series of snaps to his social media account which showed Cooper alongside the likes of Lisa Hogan and Charlie Ireland at the wrap party.
