Who Is Kaleb Cooper? Everything You Need To Know About The Clarkson’s Farm Star

8 months ago

The lowdown on the farming legend

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Jeremy Clarkson may be the frontman of beloved farming show Clarkson’s Farm, but the programme’s undisputed hero is 25-year-old Kaleb Cooper, Clarkson’s straight-talking fellow farmer. His agricultural expertise, paired with his no-nonsense approach to Clarkson, won the hearts of viewers, propelling him into fame and turning him into one of the farming world’s biggest – and youngest – stars. But what’s Cooper’s backstory? And is he still working on the farm with Clarkson? As the third season drops on Prime Video, here’s everything you need to know about the young farmer everyone’s talking about.

Kaleb Cooper: Everything You Need To Know

Who Is Kaleb Cooper?

Kaleb Cooper is the breakout star of Clarkson’s Farm, a young farmer who works with Jeremy Clarkson on Diddly Squat farm in the Cotswolds. Born in Chipping Norton, Cooper knows the local landscape like the back of his hand. He worked on the farm now known as Diddly Squat for some time before it was taken over by Clarkson (previously it was owned by a local contract farmer, who retired).

‘We needed a tractor driver for the series and we looked everywhere,’ said Clarkson. ‘I said: “I tell you what, you could look at the guy who’s actually doing the tractoring here now anyway”. So we got Kaleb and I think you’ll all agree he’s good on television.’

Since Clarkson’s Farm first aired in June 2021, Cooper has risen to fame, garnering a cult fan base and scooping up over two million followers on Instagram. He even went on to write his own book, The World According To Kaleb.

What Is Kaleb Cooper’s Relationship With Jeremy Clarkson?

Cooper and Clarkson have a feisty relationship, yet much of their bickering is light-hearted. Part of the reason Cooper became so popular was because of his straight-talking approach to former Top Gear presenter Clarkson, a newbie to the challenges of farming. Cooper’s initial impression of Clarkson? He didn’t actually know who was at first as he ‘didn’t have time to watch TV’ – and the first time he met Clarkson, he ‘resented him slightly’. He said: ‘it was because he asked me to drive the tractor more slowly past his house so his cat could run around safely.’ And when Clarkson called him a ‘rural halfwit’, he wasn’t phased, calling Clarkson a ‘f***ing idiot’ for spending £40,000 on a Lamborghini tractor.

However, over time the two have developed a friendship. ‘We have become quite close now,’ Cooper said. ‘He’s been a father figure to me when it comes to understanding TV. I’ve learnt from the best there is and – I can’t believe I’m saying this – when he’s not pissing me off, there is love there.’ Cooper has also taught Clarkson about farming (though he doesn’t always listen).

As all fans of Clarkson’s Farm will know, however, the pair still argue a lot – and apparently their biggest ever bust-up is soon to come in season three. Cooper was also not best pleased by Clarkson’s description of him in his book, Diddly Squat – A Year on the Farm. He told The Times: ‘He referred to me as a tractor driver. I’m a farm manager. I’m the boss. It’s Kaleb’s Farm, secretly.’

Does Kaleb Cooper Still Work With Jeremy Clarkson?

Yes, Cooper still works on Diddly Squat farm with Clarkson. He will be featuring in the new series of Clarkson’s Farm, which airs on 3 May 2024. And, although the details about season four are sparse, Cooper appeared in the Instagram announcement, suggesting he’ll be part of that one too.

Is Kaleb Cooper Related To Gerald Cooper?

Another of the stars of Clarkson’s Farm is Gerald Cooper, the farm’s security manager who has worked at Diddly Squat for 50 years. Despite having the same surname as Kaleb, the pair are not in fact related, and simply met while working on the show together.