4 days ago
Clarkson's Farm star, who grew up wanting to be a 'ballerina', could make a fortune as show's break-out star
The glamourous star of Clarkson's Farm - no, not Jeremy - has revealed how people tell her she's inspired their daughters to go into farming.
Fans raved 'a star is born' when newcomer Harriet Cowan, 24, stole the show in series four as Jeremy Clarkson 's new glamorous farm-hand, saying she's helping to change perceptions of women in farming.
Harriet arrived on screens to assist at Diddly Squat Farm while Jeremy's usual helper, Kaleb Cooper, was away... but after charming the shows millions of views she could now be set to become a star in her own right.
The new star has been part of the farming community since childhood, having grown up on a family farm in the Derbyshire countryside where her father still lives and tends to the land.
Prior to becoming Jeremy's new side-kick, Harriet had already been building her profile as a farmer on TikTok and had around 40,000 followers before joining the Diddly Squat team.
Now, she told The Times, she gets approached all the time, saying: 'Mums have reached out to say my daughter's wanting to go into farming.
'Or I hear about four-year-old girls who want a toy tractor for Christmas, so that's really nice.'
It was through her TikTok that Harriet was approached by the show, she said: 'Charlie [Ireland, Clarkson's land agent] let me know they were looking for someone to come and help.
'I think they were keen for it to be a woman who could do that role and show they could do it well.'
Despite saying he's not a natural born farmer, Harriet has praised Jeremy for his work at Diddly Squat saying he is, 'very much like every other farmer I've ever met' and 'very much willing to learn. He wanted to do well by the farm.'
Poking fun, Harriet added that 'he's got the physique of a farmer' too.
The glam farmhand added that other young farmers in her area couldn't believe that she would be on Clarkson's Farm.
She said: 'They thought, "Ah, you'll be in the back of the pub and they'll have filmed the pub and the back of your head will be in it,'
'So when it came out they were, like, "Oh sh**, she is actually in it a bit more than I thought she was!''
Harriet is heavily involved with her rural community which her grandparents joined in the 1950s when they bought the land which her father still farms.
When she's not trying to keep Jeremy in line Harriet works at a cattle farm with her boyfriend, James, just a short distance from the family farm.
James and Harriet first met when she was 15 at the Belper Young Farmers Club but it wasn't until they were 17 that things turned romantic.
Alongside her work as a farm hand Harriet also works as a community nurse.
Speaking to The Times, she said: 'The moment you get off nursing you get in the tractor and spend the evening in the tractor. Every farmer will have two professions.'
She added: 'When you've grown up on the farm you've already got that work ethic — you've seen that from your parents.
'I fit in with everyone else, everyone's got a good work ethic around here.'
Despite growing up surrounded by farmers Harriet did not always want to be one herself and admitted that she actually had dreams of becoming a ballerina.
She said: 'Growing up, I used to be so afraid of the big cows. I was always a very girlie girl. I wanted to be a ballerina.
'There was always going to be farming in my blood. Then, when I met my other half, that's when it really sparked.
'I'd always done tractor driving but the cattle side of it started when I met him. I found a passion for it more on the livestock side.'
Harriet's fans have raved about her not letting go of her girlie style and look despite being a farmer but in conversation with The Times she opened up about the 'challenges' of being a young woman in the industry.
She said that her father told her and her sister that without a male heir, they would be stepping up to help.
Harriet added that she has loved showcasing that women can farm too and now has plans to start documenting life on her family farm on YouTube.
The fourth season of Clarkson's Farm in which Harriet was introduced to viewers released to Prime Video in May.
At the time, many took to social media to rave about the newcomer on Diddly Squat Farm.
One posted on X: '30 minutes in and I'm calling it already Harriet is going to be massively famous and she could be worth bringing back #clarksonsfarm.'
Another chimed in: 'And a 'Star' is born Harriet Cowen! #clarksonsfarm #amazonprimevideo.'
'#clarksonsfarm S4 and I already love Harriet '4000 years old' 'That's as old as you?',' another penned, followed by laughing emojis.
While one viewer said: 'And I'm already rooting for Harriet... she's brilliant.'
'I love Harriet. And I love that she calls the Lambo 'she',' someone else commented.
The newcomer features in the very first episode and Jeremy said: 'Later, after I'd fed the animals, finished off the GS4 drilling and gone back to the office to deal with the daily government paperwork, my new helper arrived, a young farmer called Harriet.'
She sits down with the TV star in his office and described her journey from Derbyshire.
Jeremy offers Harriet coffee to which she replies, 'No thanks, I don't like coffee, have you got tea?'
Despite the newest instalment only just gracing screens, Harriet has already been well received by fans who have begged Jeremy to 'find a way of keeping her'
He says, 'No' to which she quips back, 'I'll be alright then'.
During the conversation, she admits she hasn't properly watched Clarkson's Farm before and explains how her family work on a farm that used to be her grandfather's.
Jeremy reveals to Harriet how he has been struggling since Kaleb's departure and takes her on a tour of the farm.
Harriet also appeared in the trailer for the latest season and wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty.
She hasn't failed to impress her colleagues either and has set about doing jobs around the farm.
Despite rumours he had left Clarkson's Farm, Kaleb has confirmed that he is still very much a part of the show and didn't hold back on complimenting Harriet's work so far.
'I'm still involved, there's lots of rumours going about that I've been replaced but I'm still here, Harriet stepped in as I jumped away on tour, I'm very grateful that Harriet came along and saved the day,' he said.
The farmer added Jeremy 'shouldn't be trusted alone on the farm, he's getting better but there are loads of things he still can't do'.
Season's four trailer revealed some of what Harriet gets up to on the farm and she is introduced when Jeremy says, 'While Kaleb's away, I'm going to need a hand.'
The trailer showed Jeremy running into several obstacles and Harriet made a good impression as she was quick to help.
She was also shown installing fences, loading feed for the animals and even her welding.
Jeremy gushed over Harriet in a video on Instagram earlier this month and described her as 'brilliant' too.
He clarified: 'There has been lots of reports that Kaleb has been 'replaced' - well, no he hasn't.'
Jeremy added: 'What happened is this, he went away on his speaking tour, for a couple of months because he imagined that after four years, I'd be able to manage on my own.
'And I didn't - I made a complete mess of everything and had to bring in a young farmer called Harriet.
'Harriet is brilliant and looked after the fort until he got back. That is it - that's the story!'
