Forty-plus years ago, some advertising executive in a suit decided Jeremy Clarkson wasn’t good enough to be a copywriter. Today, his self-penned adverts for Hawkstone regularly reach an audience of millions. However, his latest and most ambitious creation, featuring a 34-strong choir of real British farmers, has reportedly been banned from broadcast on every major platform, prompting him to appeal directly to the nation’s press.
The advert*, which Clarkson describes as “the best thing I’ve ever made, apart from a shepherd’s pie in 1988,” features a choir of genuine, mud-on-their-boots farmers singing with the voices of angels. The project was intended to be a powerful celebration of British farming, the backbone of his best-selling lager and cider brand, Hawkstone.
And yet, it may never be seen… “It’s a cock-up, as usual,” said Clarkson from his Diddly Squat Farm. “I’ve made my biggest, most heartfelt, and frankly, most expensive advert ever, and it’s been banned. The fun police in their beige offices have decided that the public can’t be trusted to watch it. It’s been kicked off the telly, silenced on the radio, and barred from the cinema. Apparently, it’s ‘not compliant’. With what, I have no idea. Common sense?”
Frustrated by the blockade, Clarkson is now turning to the British press. “If the regulators won’t let the people see it, then perhaps the newspapers will. I’m asking every editor in the country: will you publish my banned ad?”
Clarkson unveiled the new ad and a live performance of the farmers’ choir at a festival-style event held at his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, on 14 July 2025. The event featured a Hawkstone cider tasting, a vodka and gin tasting by Wood Brothers, the distillery behind Hawkstone Vodka and Gin; beer glass etching plus a live performance from 1970’s country group, The Wurzels. The event hosted local farmers, Hawkstone stockists and members of the press.
Hawkstone’s top pub stockists – the Centurion Club – were recognised for their commitment to the brand and market-leading barrel sales. They included The King William Inn at Scaftworth (Doncaster) and 19 Kitchen & Bar (Preston).
Using AI, versions of the farmers’ choir songs featured in the ad will be available for pubs to personalise and use in their own advertising and social media channels.
Launched in 2021 by Jeremy Clarkson & the Cotswold Brew Co, Hawkstone offers a range of premium British lagers, ciders & vodka. An authentic Cotswolds brand with an authentic Cotswolds story: named after an ancient standing stone, the beer was originally made from the barley grown at Diddly Squat Farm. Hawkstone is the fastest growing beer brand in the UK, and the most followed beer in the world on Instagram.
*Warning: contains strong language
