Jeremy Clarkson has apologised to pub-goers following the inaugural “Dare Night” at his Oxfordshire pub, The Farmer’s Dog.
The Top Gear presenter-turned-pub owner created a “menu filled with all the things that people normally discard” for punters to tuck into in an attempt to combat the soaring costs of more regular foodstuffs.
On the menu for the evening, which took place at the pub on April 28, were items such as snail caviar, crispy fried squirrel, pigs ears, lamb’s brain, rabbit pie, lamb’s kidney, and many other offal-esque dishes.
Promoting the evening earlier this month, Clarkson said to fans via the pub’s Instagram page: “”Fed up with beige, safe food? Want to try new things? Difficult things? Weird things? Well, if you’re intrigued, join us at the Farmer’s Dog for the evening on April 28th, 2025.
“This is not an event for the faddy or those of a vegan disposition, as it will have a menu filled with all the things that people normally discard. You might hate half of it. But you might go home with a steely determination to eat stomach lining as often as possible.”
Inevitably, his fans flocked to the comments of the social media post to express their interest, but Clarkson also caught the attention of animal charity Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
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Blasting the entire night as a “stunt”, the charity’s Vice President of Programmes, Elisa Allen said: “How desperate does one have to be to turn wildlife into a pub stunt for some kind of shock value straight out of the bargain bin?
“Squirrels are industrious, clever and sentient, but recognising they are also vulnerable, only a hideous bully would take them from their life in a park and slice them up on a plate.
“We challenge Jeremy Clarkson and his sad cronies to dare to try something genuinely bold: compassionate plant-based cuisine,” she concluded to The Mirror.
Clarkson didn’t let the charity’s warning stop him, however, as the evening went ahead as planned, but he did feel the need to apologise for one item, in particular, after it received a rather lukewarm reception.
“I sat with Kaleb, and the amount of things you’ve never eaten before, the snails, for example, he ate them all,” Clarkson said of his Clarkson’s Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper who’d tucked into the menu.
However, not everything on offer was a success, as Clarkson explained: “The squirrel has developed a way of protecting itself, which is to taste like manure, so nobody wants to eat it.
“I’m sorry for the squirrel,” he apologised.
Delving into the spark behind the idea, Clarkson added: “Meat’s expensive and it’s becoming a luxury item. So you think, ‘Are there parts of an animal you can eat, like the brains, the stomach lining, the heart?’
“There are a lot of things you wouldn’t ordinarily eat, and then you try them and go, actually, ‘A leg of lamb is £40, but I can go and buy some of the other bits for £5’.
“You’re still getting the protein. You’re not condemned to a life of vegetarianism,” he added to The Sun.
Punters who attended the “Dare Night” will be able to experience the evening all over again once the fifth series of Clarkson’s Farm airs next year.
The Amazon cameras were in attendance as filming continues on the future series ahead of season four’s arrival on May 23.
The upcoming run will delve into Clarkson’s new business venture after he decided to purchase the pub a stone’s throw from his Oxfordshire farm.
Season four promises to give fans an all-access peek behind the tumultuous first few months of Clarkson’s pub venture, something he’s previously branded a “total disaster”.
The Farmer’s Dog has been plagued by a number of issues that Clarkson has been more than vocal about.
From thefts at the pub from punters wanting to pocket a souvenir to threats to bar staff from unwelcome travellers, Clarkson has had plenty to bemoan on top of the profit-making struggles.
