Noel Edmonds has delivered a glowing tribute to Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson as the presenter makes his return to British television screens with a new series documenting his life as a farmer and hospitality entrepreneur in New Zealand.
The 76-year-old broadcaster, who emigrated in 2018 with his wife Liz, will star in Noel’s Kiwi Adventure which is soon to launch on ITV.
The series follows the couple at their Ngatimoti property on New Zealand’s South Island, where they’ve established a hospitality business, including a pub, vineyard, coffee cart, general store, and restaurant.
Cameras captured their preparations to reopen for a second full season whilst dealing with unseasonal weather, negative press coverage, and feelings of being outsiders in the rural community.
The programme also features Edmonds’ latest venture – plans to build what he describes as New Zealand’s first energy garden.
The former Deal or No Deal host has addressed inevitable comparisons to Clarkson’s farming series, saying ahead of the show’s premiere: “When we were filming our show, some people who knew about Clarkson’s Farm said to me, ‘Oh, is it like Clarkson’s Farm?’ And I said, ‘No, it couldn’t be more different.'”
Edmonds paid tribute to his fellow broadcaster, praising his abilities on-camera. “He can articulate an argument beautifully and deliver a sharp, humorous line like no one else,” Edmonds added.
He also highlighted three aspects he particularly admires about Clarkson’s Farm, the series which has smashed Amazon Prime Video records and recently returned for its fourth season.
Edmonds lauded Clarkson’s Farm’s production values, its exposure of bureaucratic difficulties with public servants, and most importantly, how it demonstrates the challenges of farming.
“The key difference between our Kiwi Adventure and Clarkson’s Farm is that ours is more of a lifestyle narrative,” Edmonds explained to The Sun.
The television veteran revealed he partly agreed to the series to prove he’s still alive, joking to multiple outlets about persistent rumours of his demise.
“People still ask, ‘Noel Edmonds? Didn’t he die? Is he still around?’ Yes, I’m still here… and living life to the full!” he told The Daily Star.
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Edmonds’ last major television appearance was on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2018, where he earned a £600,000 fee but was voted out after just nine days.
The lengthy absence from British screens has clearly fuelled speculation about his whereabouts, something the presenter hopes his new series will definitively put to rest.
Two years ago, Edmonds and his wife purchased land around the small rural town of Ngatimoti, where they built their hospitality empire in the heart of the community.
Meanwhile, as Edmonds was setting up a new life on the other side of the planet, Clarkson was dealing with the rigmarole that arose when buying his very own pub.
Setting the stage for the fourth season of his farming show, Clarkson set out to buy his own pub last year, eventually bagging the keys to Cotswolds establishment, The Windmill.
In season four, fans discovered how Clarkson renamed the pub to The Farmer’s Dog, while also witnessing just how much hardship and stress came when juggling a pub opening with a harvest.
There were clashes between consultants and Clarkson himself, resulting in outrage from some fans, as well as chaotic scenes and mishaps that led to the pub opening being a “disaster”.
The Farmer’s Dog has managed to keep its doors open, however, and welcomes visitors every day ahead of the show’s fifth season, which is currently filming.
