Clarkson’s Farm star Gerald Cooper ‘terrified’ after cancer diagnosis
Warning spoilers ahead: Gerald Cooper gets cancer diagnosis
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Clarkson’s Farm star Gerald Cooper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, with Jeremy Clarkson revealing his co-star was "terrified" and "desperately upset".
Gerald has undergone an operation, Clarkson revealed in episode three of the series. His cancer battle has been kept secret until the release of Clarkson's Farm season three episodes one to four hit the streaming service Prime Video on Friday.
Clarkson spoke about how Gerald had reacted to his diagnosis. The former Grand Tour presenter said: "He’s bewildered for obvious reasons. Someone said, ‘Look sorry it’s cancer.’ That’s all he heard. He’s desperately upset. Terrified, poor man."
Gerald has worked on Diddly Squat Farm for 50 years, with his speciality in stone wall building. On-screen he quickly became a huge star on the show after immediately winning over fans at home. Everyone loves how his thick accent often confuses Clarkson on the show and their hilarious exchanges became one of the big talking points in the show.
Previously, Clarkson said he found Gerald was "such a character" that he thought would be a natural on TV. He told Farmer's Weekly: "I was talking to Gerald, who has done the combining on the farm for 50 years. He’s such a character I knew he’d be great on TV."
Gerald ‘terrified’ of cancer diagnosis
In season three we know Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper are missing Gerald a lot. It got emotional when Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper discussed their friend’s absence from Diddly Squat Farm.
The motoring star then shared more details about Gerald's cancer diagnosis. In the voiceover, Clarkson said: "Gerald had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Something me and Kaleb discussed while trying to do what our absent friend normally does."
Clarkson shared his hopes for Gerald as he revealed he had been reaching out to doctors in a bid to help. He told the farm manager: "It’s pretty complicated. Phoning around doctors and things I know and his odds are really good. But it’s scaring him to death."
Kaleb Cooper responded: "Yeah. He doesn’t understand."
Clarkson went on: "I know he doesn’t understand. He’s bewildered for obvious reasons. Someone said, ‘Look sorry it’s cancer.’ That’s all he heard. He’s desperately upset. Terrified, poor man."
He responded: "He’s a strong man. He’s worked the land all of his life. He’s not unfit is he? He can do a day’s work."
Clarkson also had high praise for their friend. He said: "He’s 74. He’s amazing."
Where is Gerald?
So far, Gerald Cooper is absent from series three (episodes one to four) which is definitely going to be a huge disappointment to Clarkson's Farm fans.
At the beginning of the show, Clarkson and farm manager Kaleb Cooper grow concerned about their co-star as he has been off work feeling unwell. At this point it is not known why Gerald is taking time away from the farm because of his cancer diagnosis.
Wrapping up episode one, Clarkson took a hard-hitting call from Gerald’s wife explaining that the star has been diagnosed with cancer. The emotional scenes only allow audiences at home to hear Clarkson’s side of the call.
Afterwards while sitting in his tractor alone, The Grand Tour presenter then broke the news to the Clarkson’s Farm audience in a piece to camera. He simply said: "Gerald’s got cancer. S***."
It isn't yet known whether Gerald will star in the last episodes of Clarkson's Farm which will be available to stream from May 10.
What else happens on Clarkson's Farm season three?
There is a lot of heartache in store this season as another Clarkson's Farm tragedy sees the piglets die. In his own words, Clarkson said there won't be a happy ending at Clarkson's Farm. He said: "Every single TV show or movie we watched as a child was sad: Lassie, Ring of Bright Water where the otter gets a shovel through his head, Old Yeller, he died. Born Free was an absolute tear-jerker."
He added: "There was never a children's film in the Sixties and Seventies where it had a happy ending and I don't know what happened, but movie producers decided films needed happy endings, and that's what we've got used to. Well, farming doesn’t have many happy endings, as we've discovered."
Watch Clarkson's Farm season 3 episodes 1-4 on Prime Video now.
