Gerald Cooper has delighted Clarkson’s Farm fans after he made a rare appearance on social media ahead of Christmas.
Jeremy Clarkson’s “Head of Security” at his Oxfordshire farm has become a hugely popular figure with fans of the Amazon hit series, with viewers always keen for updates on the Chadlington local.
And Mr Cooper’s time in the spotlight has been far from plain sailing, with Mr Clarkson’s co-star candidly sharing his prostate cancer ordeal during the third series of the show.
A few years on, and Mr Cooper remains an integral part of the Diddly Squat family following successful treatment, but of late, he’s been the subject of “mean” and “stupid” online reports.
Gerald Cooper (second from left) with the rest of the Diddly Squat team
|
AMAZON
The Diddly Squat Farm Shop Instagram account, which is usually run by Lisa Hogan and members of the shop’s team, addressed the rumours directly to set fans’ minds at ease.
The account posted a short video clip of Mr Cooper smiling and dancing while making his way around Mr Clarkson’s Chipping Norton farm.
In the accompanying caption, it read: “G-Dwag doing his thang. No he hasn’t been in hospital, that’s all fake, really stupid and very mean.
“He’s a dancin and a laughing. Happy Christmas to Gerald and Family,” the post added, followed by a series of Christmas tree emojis. (sic)
Inevitably, after seeing Mr Cooper doing so well following his health scare, fans rushed to express their delight.
“I`m so glad Gerald is ok,” one Instagram user replied. “Merry Christmas Gerald and Family and Merry Christmas Diddly Squat.”
“Best post of the season,” a second weighed in before a third typed: “Go on Gerald! Have a Merry Christmas all at Diddly Squat.”
“We love Gerald and we must protect Gerald at all cost!!!” a fourth echoed, while a fifth weighed in: “So very happy to hear he is very well, from Australia.”
Gerald Cooper (right) with Diddly Squat farm manager Kaleb Cooper
|
AMAZON
And a sixth simply commented: “He is a Christmas present all in himself!!” (sic)
Mr Cooper will return to screens in the fifth and – for now – final series of Clarkson’s Farm when it premieres next year.
It was in the show’s third season that Mr Clarkson broke the news of his friend’s cancer battle after revealing he’d been signed off work sick.
In episode one of season three, Mr Clarkson took a phone call while in his tractor, and while the details of the phone conversation were left rather vague, Mr Clarkson eventually told the camera: “Gerald’s got cancer. Oh, s**t.”
Gerald Cooper shot to fame on Clarkson’s Farm
|
AMAZON
Mr Cooper’s diagnosis and Mr Clarkson’s reveal occurred in the late autumn of 2022, when season three had begun filming.
However, by the end of the series, Mr Clarkson revealed Mr Cooper had overcome the “big C”, and he made a triumphant return to the farm in the show’s fourth run.
As well as Mr Cooper’s health update, there was more reason to celebrate at Diddly Squat ahead of Christmas Day thanks to the government’s latest U-turn on inheritance tax.
The Government will raise the inheritance tax relief threshold for farmers from £1 million to £2.5 million in a climbdown following months of protest.
Jeremy Clarkson (right) runs his own farm in Oxfordshire
|
AMAZONThe change to the reforms initially unveiled at Labour’s first Budget last year comes after ministers “listened to concerns” of the farming community and businesses, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on Tuesday.
Mr Clarkson, Kaleb Cooper, and farmers everywhere had been urging the government to scrap their plans ever since they was announced.