What was supposed to be a peaceful summer of farming and filming has turned into a political circus for Jeremy Clarkson.
The Clarkson’s Farm presenter now finds himself dealing with an unexpected neighbour — none other than U.S. Vice President JD Vance — whose high-security holiday has disrupted life in the Cotswolds.
With Secret Service agents swarming the area, a no-fly zone overhead, and blacked-out vehicles patrolling the countryside, Clarkson says the Vice President’s visit has thrown his Amazon Prime show into chaos.
Filming Grounded by Vice President’s No-Fly Zone
The one-mile security bubble around Vance’s rented country manor has made drone filming at Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm impossible.
Posting on Instagram, Clarkson shared a map showing the restricted area with a cheeky caption:
“The JD Vance no fly zone. We are the pin. So on the downside, no drone shots today.
On the upside, no annoying light aircraft.”
The restrictions will last for the rest of August, leaving Clarkson’s production team scrambling to find new ways to capture the sweeping farm visuals fans love.
Locals and Co-Stars Voice Frustrations
Clarkson’s right-hand man, Kaleb Cooper, has also had his farming schedule derailed.
In a post of his own, Cooper complained that his wheat got soaked because Vance’s security convoy stopped him in the rain while passing through Chipping Norton.
Adding a sarcastic twist, he suggested that if the Vice President drove around in a discreet Volkswagen Polo, “nobody would know who he was.”
And they’re not the only ones grumbling. Locals say the heightened security has caused traffic snarl-ups, blocked paths, and drawn left-leaning protesters to the usually tranquil countryside.
Inside the Vice President’s Fortified Holiday Home
Vance is staying at Dean Manor, a grand Grade II-listed property in a tiny hamlet of just 12 homes.
The estate, surrounded by 15-foot stone walls and manicured gardens, reportedly costs around £8,000 a week to rent.
For security, U.S. agents in dark glasses and earpieces are stationed across the grounds, while suited guards man the gates.
A makeshift helicopter pad has even been carved into a nearby field.
Visitors are being carefully screened before entering, and the manor’s famed gardens are now off-limits to the public.
A Neighbourhood Steeped in Political History
Dean Manor isn’t just scenic — it has a political pedigree.
Built in 1702 for a Tory MP, it has been home to Conservative heavyweights, including former Prime Minister David Cameron, who lives just a short walk away.
Clarkson’s farm sits barely a mile from the property, separated by his own arable fields.
One local even quipped that Clarkson could probably see the manor from his bedroom window.
Clarkson’s History with JD Vance
The irony of their new proximity hasn’t gone unnoticed — especially since Clarkson publicly criticised Vance earlier this year.
In a fiery Sunday Times column, Clarkson blasted the Vice President for belittling the UK’s military history, calling him “a t**t” and accusing him of ignoring British sacrifices in Iraq, Afghanistan, and World War II.
He also compared Donald Trump’s stance on Ukraine to Franklin Roosevelt telling Winston Churchill to let Hitler keep Poland.
Needless to say, there’s no love lost between the two men.
A Summer of Awkward Encounters
With weeks left in Vance’s stay, the Cotswolds will remain on high alert — and Clarkson will likely have to keep filming around the Secret Service’s strict rules.
Whether the two neighbours will bump into each other remains to be seen, but given their past words, it might make for one of the most awkward countryside encounters of the summer.
