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 author widely recognized for hosting the globally popular sports car program “Top Gear,” which remains among the most-watched television series worldwide.

Early Life

Born on April 11, 1960, in Doncaster, England, Jeremy Clarkson is the son of Shirley and Edward. His parents made arrangements for his admission to private school years ahead of time, unaware of how they would finance the tuition. Just before Clarkson was set to start school, his parents created two Paddington Bear toys for their children, which became so successful that they began to sell them. However, they soon received a cease and desist notice from Michael Bond’s legal team, the creator of Paddington Bear. Edward Clarkson traveled to London to meet Bond’s lawyer and fortuitously encountered Bond in an elevator. They hit it off, leading to Bond granting the Clarksons worldwide licensing rights for Paddington Bear, which helped fund Jeremy’s education.

During his time at Repton School, Clarkson has stated that he faced severe bullying and was quite unhappy. He was a contemporary of former “Top Gear” Executive Producer Andy Wilman and Formula One engineer Adrian Newey while at Repton School, but he was ultimately expelled due to various infractions.

Career

Although best known for hosting the internationally acclaimed “Top Gear,” Clarkson’s initial job involved selling Paddington Bears for his parents’ business. He later pursued a career in journalism, working for several newspapers such as the Rotherham Advertiser, Rochdale Observer, Wolverhampton Express and Star, and Shropshire Star. It was at the Shropshire Star where he first ventured into automotive journalism, starting with Peugeot and Fiat reviews before progressing to Range Rovers and Ford Granadas. After seven years, he was finally permitted to drive an Aston Martin Lagonda, and ten years later, he experienced his maiden drive in a Lamborghini.

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

Apart from hosting “Top Gear,” Clarkson also writes for The Sun, The Sunday Times, and the Toronto Star, in addition to authoring several books on automotive topics and other themes.

His inaugural significant television role was as the host of “Top Gear” in its original form from October 1988 to February 2000 and again from October 2002 through March 2015. He played a pivotal role in transforming “Top Gear” into the most-viewed program on BBC Two.

Clarkson also took the helm of the first UK version of “Robot Wars” and hosted a talk show titled “Clarkson” from November 1998 to December 2000, producing 27 half-hour episodes featuring interviews with musicians, politicians, and TV celebrities.

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

In March 2015, the BBC suspended Clarkson from “Top Gear” after an altercation with a producer. Frustrated by the food options while filming in Hawes, North Yorkshire, Clarkson assaulted producer Oisin Tymon, requiring hospital treatment. The BBC chose not to air the following episode nor the last two episodes of that season, and Clarkson’s contract, which was set to renew for three more years, was rescinded.

On April 19, 2015, Clarkson disclosed in his Sunday Times column that just two days prior to the incident with Tymon, a doctor had suggested he might have tongue cancer, which ultimately was found not to be the case. In November of the same year, Tymon filed a lawsuit against Clarkson and the BBC for racial discrimination regarding verbal abuse during the March incident. The following February, Clarkson issued a formal apology to Tymon and settled the claims for $130,000.

Amazon announced on July 30, 2015, that Clarkson, along with his former “Top Gear” co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, would host a new program, “The Grand Tour,” which premiered on November 18, 2016, and concluded its fourth season at the close of 2019.

Personal Life

Clarkson’s first marriage was to Alex Hall in 1989, but she left him for a friend six months later. In May 1993, he wed his manager, Frances Cain, with whom he had three children. Cain filed for divorce in April 2014.

In September 2010, Clarkson secured a privacy injunction against his first wife, preventing her from publicizing claims that their sexual relationship persisted following his marriage to Cain.

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

His car collection is extensive, featuring luxury vehicles such as 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 displayed skepticism towards the environmental movement, often deriding groups like Greenpeace, labeling them as “eco-mentalists” stemming from “old trade unionists and CND (campaign for nuclear disarmament) lesbians.” He has infamously referred to wind farms as future reminders of when humanity temporarily lost its senses, attempting to power the planet solely through wind, waves, and excessive tofu consumption.

Salary Highlights

Despite the expansive audience of the show, Clarkson’s salary for hosting Top Gear was comparatively modest at $4 million annually. However, his financial situation was buoyed by owning 30% of Top Gear’s rights, allowing him to benefit from profits made through licensing agreements, DVD sales, syndication, and merchandise. Additionally, Clarkson typically earns between $7.5 million to $13 million each year from dividends and bonuses.

In 2013, the BBC, which previously held a 50% ownership stake in the show, acquired the remaining shares to gain complete control of the Top Gear Empire. This deal netted Clarkson an estimated $21 million.

Real Estate

Clarkson purchased a five-bedroom cottage set on 312 acres in the Cotswolds for $5.5 million in 2012. He subsequently destroyed it during “The Grand Tour” in 2018. After the debris was cleared, Clarkson intended to construct a new six-bedroom, three-story mansion.