Jeremy Clarkson has been branded a “hideous bully” by animal rights charity PETA over his plans to serve squirrel at his Cotswolds pub.
The TV presenter and Clarkson’s Farm star is facing criticism for adding the rodent to the menu at his countryside establishment, The Farmer’s Dog.
The controversial dish will feature as part of a special event showcasing “weird and wonderful” food items.
PETA has condemned the former Top Gear host’s decision to use wildlife in what they described as a “pub stunt” designed for “shock value”.
Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy has come under fire from charity PETA
Instagram / Jeremy Clarkson
The unusual menu will be part of an £85-a-head “Dare Night” event that will later appear in his Amazon show.
Elisa Allen, Vice President of Programmes at PETA, said: “How desperate does one have to be to turn wildlife into a pub stunt for some kind of shock value straight out of the bargain bin?”
She defended the animals as “industrious, clever and sentient” creatures.
Speaking to The Mirror, Allen added that “only a hideous bully would take them from their life in a park and slice them up on a plate.”
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The charity has challenged Clarkson and what they called his “sad cronies” to “dare to try something genuinely bold: compassionate plant-based cuisine” instead.
The “Dare Night” at Clarkson’s Oxfordshire pub will feature an array of unusual delicacies alongside the controversial squirrel dish.
The menu includes pan-fried brains, lamb’s hearts and snail caviar among other potentially stomach-churning offerings.
A sign at the pub explains the event will be “replete with memorable dishes and novel foods that will live long in the memory.”
Diners will be served three courses plus canapés in a small-plate style on large sharing tables.
The menu promises items ranging from “the unconventional like veal sweetbreads, roasted bone marrow and stuffed lamb’s hearts to the down-right outrageous.”
One commenter on the pub’s Instagram page remarked that the food “looks like road kill.”
Clarkson himself has been promoting the event with characteristic bluntness about the unusual menu.
“Fed up with beige, safe food? Want to try new things? Difficult things? Weird things? Well if you’re intrigued, join us at the Farmer’s Dog,” he said.
PETA labelled Jeremy Clarkson ‘a bully’ for the unusual food item
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The 65-year-old presenter made it clear the event has limitations on who should attend.
“This is not an event for the faddy or those of a vegan disposition, as will have a menu filled with all the things that people normally discard,” Clarkson explained.
He added: “You might hate half of it. But you might go home with a steely determination to eat stomach lining as often as possible.”
The event will be featured in an upcoming episode of Clarkson’s Amazon Prime series “Clarkson’s Farm”.
This is not the first time the TV star has clashed with PETA over animal welfare issues.
According to reports, the charity previously criticised him for pork production.
They also sent him what was described as a “dark book” about animal product testing.
GB News has contacted Clarkson for a comment on the reports.
