- A Facebook account shared an article claiming King Charles III's funeral plans had been updated due to his worsening cancer prognosis, but the story originated from The Daily Beast and cited anonymous sources.
- Buckingham Palace had only issued two statements regarding the King's health since February 5, 2024, with the latest statement indicating that Charles "will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation," and he was seen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on May 3, 2024.
On May 1, 2024, a Facebook account shared an article from its own "nostalgia enthusiasts" website claiming King Charles III's funeral plans had been updated because his battle with cancer was not going well.
The headline read: "King Charles' Funeral Plans Updated As His Cancer Prognosis Looking Grim."
Similar posts appeared on X, including on the accounts of a range of news outlets, such as the New York Post, Page Six and Insider Paper.
Together, the posts had amassed more than 5.7 million interactions, at the time of this writing.
Mark Cuthbert / UK Press via Getty Images
Clarkson speaks out about alarming suicide rates in farming
28th July 2023
With the rate of suicide reported to be alarmingly higher in farming compared to the national average, Jeremy Clarkson is on a mission to help raise awareness of poor mental health in farming caused by mounting financial and societal pressures.
Farming communities in the UK have faced unprecedented challenges over the last few years, largely stemming from uncertainty around Brexit and future policy, the pandemic, market volatility in the wake of the Ukraine war, declining BPS payments and avian flu.
Therefore, it is no surprise that recent surveys are reporting increasingly concerning levels of mental health among those working in the agriculture industry. RABI’s Big Farming Survey conducted in 2021 has revealed that 36% of farmers in the UK are probably or possibly depressed, while 47% are constantly struggling with anxiety.
Moreover, of the 15,000 respondents involved in the survey, only 8% of women and 12% of men reported having good mental well-being.
Having experienced first-hand the demands and stresses of the job through running his own farm, Jeremy Clarkson is trying to raise awareness of poor mental health in the industry and the unacceptable number of rural workers who take their own lives each year.
The former Top Gear presenter was quoted by the Daily Star as saying: ‘How many farmers are literally on their own, absolutely on their own right now, on a tractor, and all they’re thinking is, ‘I’m going to have zero money,’ and they’ve got a family at home.’
‘It’s why the suicide rate on farms is just…’
The mental health crisis in the farming sector is further underlined by the fact that more lives are lost through suicide than as a result of fatal farm accidents each year.
According to the Office of National Statistics, there were 36 suicides recorded in England and Wales among those working in the farming and agricultural industry in 2021. Meanwhile, 22 farm workers lost their lives in fatal accidents in 2021/22.
In addition, of the hundreds of farmers under the age of 40 surveyed by the Farm Safety Foundation early this year, 94% agreed poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing the industry today, highlighting the need for prompt action from the government, organisations and the general public to address the issue.
If you are a farmer struggling to cope or are worried about someone, get in touch with one of the farming charities offering free, confidential support. The RABI helpline 0800 188 4444 is attended 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, while the Farming Community Network (FCN) helpline 03000 111 999 is answered every day of the year from 7am to 11pm.
Jeremy Clarkson breaks down in tears as pig Baroness is euthanised
Jeremy Clarkson was choked up between words as he said goodbye to his sick pig Baroness before she has to be euthanised in Clarkson's Farm.
The farmer faces tragedy on Clarkson's Farm season three with many disasters unfolding on Diddly Squat Farm from crops failing to piglets dying. Clarkson had hinted there are no happy endings at farms ahead of the show being released. Season three part one ended with devastating scenes where the TV star has to make the difficult decision to put his pig Baroness down.
It had been a rocky journey with Baroness struggling to give birth, finally giving birth and then one by one her piglets dying. When the last piglet from her litter dies, Clarkson admitted: "I can't do this. I can't have pigs anymore. Honestly, it's a nightmare. I like them too much."
More heartache was in store as Clarkson then has to say goodbye to Baroness as vet Jenny Ryan revealed the pig wasn't going to get any better.
What, how and why?
"Bye Baronness," he said, sniffing. Overcome with emotion and trying to fight the tears between his words, Clarkson then exclaimed: "Oh god."
It is Clarkson's final moment on screen. Emotions were running high as the show ended with the vet going into Baroness' hut to carry out the euthanasia.
Vet Ryan had explained to Clarkson and his girlfriend Lisa Hogan that Baroness was not in a good way because her bottom was straight up and down, meaning she had lost a lot of muscle and support. The animal medic shared her concerns about Baroness.
She told the couple: "I'm really worried she's going to get to the point where she's going to go off those legs and collapse. It could be something cancerous. Could be some damage to the liver. Neither of which are..."
"Curable," Lisa Hogan interjected when the vet was trying to find the words.
Clarkson had to know if Baroness was suffering and whether she was going to get better. The vet told him: "Any animal that is not eating is not in a good state."
He concluded: "If she's not going to get better and she's suffering, it's Dignitas time." Once it was decided, Clarkson swore to himself: "F***ing hell." His girlfriend sobbed too as she walked away from the scene while Clarkson took the time to say goodbye to Baroness, which was captured on camera.
Piglets dying
It was heartache after heartache in episode four. Clarkson had just seen the last of Baroness' piglets die and he admitted he was heartbroken.
In a bid to keep Baroness' remaining piglet alive, the presenter had hatched a plan to bring the piglet inside and bottle feed the creature. Despite going to great lengths, the piglet doesn't survive. While the piglet is taking its last few breaths while being held by Hogan, Clarkson watched on. "I just find that heartbreaking," he said.
The animal medic explained to the couple that the piglet had come out very little and had died. After receiving the news, Clarkson took some deep breaths while sat in the armchair. Finding it too much, he revealed having pigs had been a "nightmare". He said: "I can't do this. I can't have pigs anymore. Honestly, it's a nightmare. I like them too much."
Earlier in the episode, Clarkson had received the offcuts from his pigs who he had sent to the slaughterhouse. He explained he felt divided because on the one hand he had been heartbroken over the dying piglets but he was also delighted to receive the bacon. "Farmer logic," he had concluded.
He said: "We're having a really tottering time over the piglets. Really tottering. You're up all night, nurturing these pigs, trying to make them warm, trying to make them comfortable and trying to make them alive. Then you break off to come here and receive all this."
Clarkson had decided to get pigs this season in a bid to make money on the "unfarmed land". Farm manager Kaleb Cooper praised his friend and co-star for being a "really good pig farmer", despite the heartache and tragedies they face.
Speaking a Q&A held at Diddly Squat Farm, Cooper said: "With the pigs I thought "here we go, here is another thing I will have to babysit but actually, it is the one thing I can leave you to do. He is actually a really good pig farmer."
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