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 an English television presenter, journalist, and writer. He is most recognized as the host of the globally renowned sports car program “Top Gear,” which consistently ranks among the most-watched television shows worldwide.

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 attend school, his parents enrolled him in private school without knowing how they would manage the tuition costs. When the time came for him to start school, they crafted two Paddington Bear toys, which became so popular that they started selling them. However, this venture faced legal issues when padding Bear’s creator, Michael Bond, issued a cease and desist order. Edward Clarkson traveled to London to meet Bond’s lawyer, but serendipitously met Bond himself in an elevator. The two connected well, resulting in Bond granting the Clarksons the worldwide licensing rights to Paddington Bear, enabling them to fund Jeremy’s education.

Clarkson has shared experiences of being severely bullied and feeling very unhappy during his time at Repton School, where he attended alongside former “Top Gear” Executive Producer Andy Wilman and Formula One engineer Adrian Newey. Ultimately, he was expelled from Repton School due to several infractions.

Career

Although widely recognized for hosting the acclaimed sports car show “Top Gear,” Clarkson’s first job was a salesman in his parents’ Paddington Bear business. He later transitioned to journalism, writing for several newspapers such as the Rotherham Advertiser, Rochdale Observer, Wolverhampton Express and Star, and Shropshire Star. His first writing opportunity in automotive journalism came at the Shropshire Star, where he initially wrote reviews for Peugeots and Fiats, eventually covering Range Rovers and Ford Granadas. After seven years, he experienced the thrill of driving an Aston Martin Lagonda, and ten years later, he got the chance to test his first Lamborghini.

In 1984, Clarkson established the Motoring Press Agency (MPA) alongside fellow motoring journalist Jonathan Gill, conducting road tests for various newspapers and car magazines. Since its inception in 1993, he has been a regular contributor to Top Gear magazine.

Aside from his role as a host on “Top Gear,” Clarkson also pens columns for The Sun, The Sunday Times, and the Toronto Star, in addition to authoring several books about cars and other topics.

His debut television appearance was as the presenter/host of “Top Gear” during its original format from October 1988 to February 2000 and then again from October 2002 to March 2015, significantly contributing to its success as the most-watched show on BBC Two.

Clarkson hosted the inaugural UK version of “Robot Wars” and had a talk show called “Clarkson” from November 1998 to December 2000, producing 27 half-hour episodes featuring interviews with musicians, politicians, and celebrities.

In 2007, along with co-host James May, Clarkson became the first individuals to drive a car to the North Pole, as documented in “Top Gear: Polar Special.”

In March 2015, following an altercation with one of the producers, the BBC suspended Clarkson from “Top Gear.” He was upset over being served soup and a cold meat platter while filming in Hawes, North Yorkshire, as the chef had left, and those were the only options offered. This incident led the BBC to withhold the airing of the next episode and the final two episodes of the season.

which producer Oisin Tymon was punched by Clarkson with such force that he needed hospital treatment. Clarkson’s BBC contract came to an end in March, with a previously suggested three-year extension being retracted.

On April 19, 2015, Clarkson revealed in his Sunday Times column that just two days prior to striking Tymon, his doctor had informed him that he might have tongue cancer. Ultimately, it was found that Clarkson did not have cancer. In November 2015, Tymon filed a lawsuit against Clarkson and the BBC alleging racial discrimination due to the verbal abuse he faced during the incident in March.  Subsequently, in February, Clarkson issued a formal apology to Tymon and agreed to settle the racial discrimination and personal injury lawsuit for $130,000.

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

Personal Life

In 1989, Clarkson wed Alex Hall, but she departed six months later for one of his acquaintances. Later, in May 1993, he married Frances Cain, his manager, with whom he had three children. Cain initiated divorce proceedings in April 2014.

In September 2010, Clarkson obtained a privacy injunction against his first wife to stop her from revealing claims that their sexual relationship continued following his marriage to Cain.

A devoted fan of Genesis, the progressive rock band, Clarkson attended their reunion concert at London’s Twickenham Stadium in 2007. He also contributed sleeve notes for the re-release of “Selling England by the Pound” featured in 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, among others.

Historically, Clarkson has shown little sympathy toward the environmental movement and at times has ridiculed organizations like Greenpeace, labeling them “eco-mentalists” influenced by “old trade unionists and CND (campaign for nuclear disarmament) lesbians.” He has described wind farms as relics of a time when humanity “temporarily lost its senses and believed wind, waves, and heaps of tofu could somehow provide enough electricity for the entire planet.”

Salary Highlights

Given the show’s popularity, Clarkson’s salary for Top Gear was relatively modest at $4 million annually. However, there’s no need to feel sorry for Jeremy. Besides his base salary, Clarkson held a 30% stake in Top Gear’s rights, allowing him to earn a percentage of profits from all licensing agreements, DVD sales, syndication, and merchandise. In addition to his base salary, Clarkson typically made an extra $7.5 – $13 million per year in dividends and bonuses from the show. In 2013, the BBC, which already owned 50% of the program, purchased all remaining stakes, granting it full ownership of the Top Gear brand. This deal earned Clarkson approximately $21 million.

Real Estate

In 2012, Clarkson acquired a five-bedroom cottage on 312 acres in the Cotswolds for $5.5 million. He later detonated the property during filming for “The Grand Tour.” Once the debris was cleared, Clarkson intended to construct a six-bedroom, three-story mansion.