Simon Cowell has taken a cheeky swipe at “smug” pal, Jeremy Clarkson ahead of the Britain’s Got Talent finale.
The Clarkson’s Farm star, 66, was toasting his success after his choir, The Hawkstone Farmers, sailed through the semi-finals. The public was bowled over by the choir, which is made up of farmers, after their rousing rendition of Bastille’s Pompei over the weekend.
Offering his congratulations when Ant and Dec announced that the plucky performers had made it through to the grand final, Simon said he loved what they stood for.
However, he couldn’t resist taking a pop at his famous pal, adding: “You’re not a professional choir, however I love what you stand for. It might be quite annoying to see Jeremy Clarkson’s smug face, that’s the only downside. He’s a friend of mine.”
View 3 ImagesThe Hawkstone Farmers Choir, founded by Jeremy Clarkson, has reached the final of Britain’s Got Talent(Image: Tom Dymond)
Simon concluded: “However more importantly this is about you and you did brilliantly well. Congratulations.”
Jeremy formed the choir, which is now run by farmers, Simon Gwilliam and Lizzy Dean, after looking for agricultural workers who could sing for his Hawkstone beer range. Choir members told hosts Ant and Dec that they had been inspired to sing to try and help farmers suffering with loneliness or mental health issues.
After their sterling success on Saturday, Jeremy jumped on social media in a video in which he celebrated with Clarkson’s Farm, co-star, Kaleb Cooper.
The duo filmed themselves congratulating the singers in front of a cheering crowd at Farm-Fest, which Jeremy has put on at his Diddly Squat Farm to “celebrate farming”.
View 3 ImagesClarkson initially formed the choir for his Hawkstone beer range(Image: Getty)
However, not everyone was impressed by the three-day festival. Some traders decided to leave early after claiming they were not making any money.
Farm-Fest is taking place over the bank holiday weekend across 300 acres at Stoneleigh Park, in Warwickshire, where adult tickets cost £35 for a half-day or £60 for an all-day admission. The festival celebrates skills and produce of Britain’s farmers and combines “the traditional joy of a large country fair with the excitement and energy of a modern music festival”, the venue said.
It was estimated there were over 400 stalls confirmed for the Bank Holiday event. However some stall holders have described their disappointment at having to leave the event early. Business owners have posted tearful videos on social media, with one titling hers ‘What a shambles’.
Korrine Pallas, who owns pet product firm Phoenix Equestrian and Pet Supplies, was one of those who left the festival early. She said Friday was “the worst day’s trading we have ever had”. In a video posted onto the company’s TikTok account she said: “It has been darn right awful at Farm-Fest.
“When I say it’s not worth getting out of bed for, it’s an understatement. It has been horrific, and I know everyone else is feeling the same and is in the same boat as us.”
Article continues below
A spokesman for Jeremy Clarkson’s Great British Farm-Fest told MailOnline: “We have been working closely with traders at The Great British Farm-Fest to provide support during our inaugural weekend. We are surprised that a handful of exhibitors, out of the 400 who attended, left the show within a few hours of the first day without experiencing an event that has attracted over 50,000 visitors.”
The Mirror has reached out for comment.
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.