Jeremy Clarkson goes public with prostate cancer diagnosis and urges screening

Looking ahead to a possible sixth season, Clarkson said: "Was ich sagen wollte: Wenn das alles erfolgreich ist, sehe ich euch in der sechsten Staffel, wenn nicht, dann nicht." The season ends with an appeal to viewers: "Take care, everyone." This can be read as a call to undergo screening.

Background: Career at the BBC and Amazon

Clarkson became known in Britain primarily as the long-time host of the BBC hit show "Top Gear." After the BBC cancelled the show, he moved together with his then co-hosts to Amazon, where he presented the comparable format "The Grand Tour."

Alongside his TV career, the 66-year-old also works as a columnist for various British newspapers. In "Clarkson's Farm," he is followed as he runs his own farm, assisted by helpers Charlie Ireland and Kaleb Cooper.

The news of the diagnosis was picked up by several British media outlets. On social networks, fans responded with get-well wishes, while commentators read the season's closing appeal as a deliberate nod to the importance of screening.

Reactions and context

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. When the disease is detected at an early stage, the chances of successful treatment are generally significantly better. Clarkson emphasised several times that his tumour had been discovered early.

The fifth season of "Clarkson's Farm" is available in the UK via Amazon Prime Video, according to the platform. A release date for a sixth season has not yet been officially announced; Clarkson himself tied a continuation to the success of his treatment.

The BBC initially declined to comment on the diagnosis of its former host on request. The broadcaster Amazon Prime Video, which produces "Clarkson's Farm," also initially issued no statement on the 66-year-old's health.

Clarkson's spokesperson merely confirmed the information given on the show. Further details on the type and extent of the surgery or the exact stage of the disease were not initially made public.