Jeremy Clarkson Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Jeremy Clarkson’s net worth and salary?

With a net worth of $70 million, Jeremy Clarkson is a prominent English television presenter, journalist, and author. He is most recognized as the host of “Top Gear,” a globally celebrated sports car program known for its high viewership.

Early Life

Born on April 11, 1960, in Doncaster, England, Jeremy Clarkson is the son of Shirley and Edward. Years before he was set to begin school, his parents enrolled him in a private institution, unsure of how they would manage the tuition fees. Just before he started school, they crafted two Paddington Bear toys for their kids, which gained such popularity that they started selling them. However, they faced a cease and desist notice from Michael Bond, the creator of Paddington Bear. While heading to meet Bond’s lawyer, Edward Clarkson serendipitously encountered Bond in the elevator, leading to a friendship that resulted in the Clarksons obtaining worldwide licensing rights to Paddington Bear, securing Jeremy’s education funding.

During his time at Repton School, Clarkson has recounted experiences of severe bullying and a general sense of unhappiness. Notably, he attended the same school as former “Top Gear” Executive Producer Andy Wilman and Formula One engineer Adrian Newey. Ultimately, he was expelled from Repton for multiple infractions.

Career

Primarily recognized as the host of the well-known sports car show “Top Gear,” Clarkson’s journey began as a salesman in his parents’ Paddington Bears business. His career in journalism spanned several newspapers, including the Rotherham Advertiser, Rochdale Observer, Wolverhampton Express and Star, and Shropshire Star, where he first ventured into writing about cars. His early articles covered Peugeots and Fiats, eventually leading him to focus on models like Range Rovers and Ford Granadas. After seven years, he finally drove an Aston Martin Lagonda for the first time, with a Lamborghini following a decade later.

In 1984, Clarkson established the Motoring Press Agency (MPA) alongside fellow journalist Jonathan Gill, conducting road tests for various publications. Since the launch of Top Gear magazine in 1993, he has been a consistent contributor.

Alongside his hosting duties on “Top Gear,” Clarkson pens columns for notable publications such as The Sun, The Sunday Times, and the Toronto Star, and has authored several books covering automotive topics and beyond.

Clarkson’s initial significant television role came as the presenter and host of “Top Gear” in its original form from October 1988 to February 2000, and later from October 2002 until March 2015. He is credited with transforming “Top Gear” into the most-watched program on BBC Two.

He also hosted the UK’s first version of “Robot Wars.” Between November 1998 and December 2000, Clarkson ran a talk show titled “Clarkson,” producing 27 half-hour episodes featuring interviews with musicians, politicians, and television figures.

In 2007, Clarkson and co-host James May made headlines as the first individuals to reach the North Pole by car, documented on “Top Gear: Polar Special.”

However, his time with “Top Gear” faced turbulence when he was suspended by the BBC in March 2015 following an altercation with a show producer. Clarkson reacted angrily after being presented with soup and a cold meat platter while filming in Hawes, North Yorkshire due to the chef’s absence. Following this incident, the BBC chose not to air the next episode of “Top Gear” as well as the final two episodes of that season.

which producer Oisin Tymon was punched by Clarkson with such force that he needed hospitalization. Clarkson’s contract with the BBC ended in March, and a previously intended three-year renewal was rescinded.

On April 19, 2015, Clarkson disclosed in his Sunday Times column that just two days prior to the incident involving Tymon, his doctor had informed him of the possibility of tongue cancer. Eventually, it was determined that Clarkson did not have cancer. In November 2015, Tymon filed a lawsuit against Clarkson and the BBC for racial discrimination due to the verbal insults he endured during the March incident.  The following February, Clarkson issued a formal apology to Tymon and resolved the racial discrimination and personal injury lawsuit for $130,000.

On July 30, 2015, Amazon revealed that Clarkson, along with his former “Top Gear” co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, would be leading a new program titled “The Grand Tour.” The inaugural season premiered on November 18, 2016, and the series completed its fourth season by the end of 2019.

Personal Life

Clarkson married Alex Hall in 1989, but she left him for one of his friends just six months later. He married his manager, Frances Cain, in May 1993, with whom he fathered three children. Cain initiated divorce proceedings in April 2014.

In September 2010, Clarkson secured a privacy injunction against his first wife to prohibit her from disclosing claims regarding their continued sexual relationship after his marriage to Cain.

A devoted admirer of the progressive rock band Genesis, Clarkson attended their reunion concert at London’s Twickenham Stadium in 2007. Additionally, he contributed sleeve notes for the reissue of “Selling England by the Pound” as part of the “Genesis 1970-1975” box set.

Clarkson has owned numerous luxury cars, including a Range Rover TDV8 Vogue SE, Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser, Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG, Lotus Elise 111S, BMW M3 CSL, Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, Ferrari F355, Aston Martin Virage, Lamborghini Gallardo, Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV6, McLaren 675LT, and many others.

Historically, Clarkson has expressed skepticism towards the green movement, at times ridiculing organizations like Greenpeace, labeling them as “eco-mentalists” arising from “old trade unionists and CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) lesbians.” He has referred to wind farms as something that will serve as a reminder of a time when humanity temporarily lost its senses, believing wind, waves, and massive amounts of tofu could somehow produce enough electricity for the entire planet.

Salary Highlights

Despite the widespread popularity of the show, Clarkson’s salary for Top Gear was a surprisingly humble $4 million a year. However, there’s little reason to pity Jeremy. Along with his base salary, Clarkson held a 30% stake in the rights to Top Gear, ensuring he benefited from profits derived from licensing agreements, DVD sales, syndication, and merchandise. Generally, Clarkson adds an extra $7.5 – $13 million annually through dividends and bonuses from the show. In 2013, the BBC, which already owned 50% of Top Gear, purchased all remaining stakes to assume full control of the Top Gear Empire, providing Clarkson with approximately $21 million.

Real Estate

In 2012, Clarkson acquired a five-bedroom cottage encompassing 312 acres in the Cotswolds for $5.5 million. The structure was subsequently destroyed on “The Grand Tour” in 2018. Following the demolition, Clarkson planned to erect a six-bedroom, three-story mansion.