Brian May responds to Clarkson criticism on badger cull

Queen guitarist and animal rights campaigner Brian May has responded to criticism from Jeremy Clarkson over his stance on the badger cull.

In an exclusive interview with Farmers Weekly, Sir Brian said in his opinion, Mr Clarkson had been “very badly advised”, adding that he hoped Mr Clarkson watching his upcoming programme would “change his view”.

See also: Queen guitarist presents new programme on TB and badgers

Speaking ahead of the launch of Clarkson’s Farm 2 last year, Mr Clarkson told the Daily Mail that the threat of TB to his cattle was one of the most difficult areas he covered.

And he would lose his core audience, the farmers, if he went round saying, “look at these sweet little animals”.

Mr Clarkson branded badgers a “b*******” and said: “These are not nice animals. Do not be fooled by Brian May. This is what badgers do.”

FW interview

Sir Brian told Farmers Weekly he had recently met Mr Clarkson and the pair had a conversation.

“I’m totally aware that he’s [Clarkson] using me as something to attack,” said Sir Brian.

“I haven’t attacked him back. I have resisted the temptation because I like the guy, really. I like his approach to authority and his irreverence. I like his open-mindedness.”

“He’s new to this. We’ve been in this business for 12 to 14 years. All he can do is believe the people that give him advice,” said the Queen legend.

“He’s got a vet standing next to him, saying, ‘Oh yes, TB is transmitted by badgers sniffing their breath and cows sniffing the breath of the badger.’

“I mean, it’s laughable. Nobody believes it, I don’t think. I’ve never met a vet who thinks that any more.”

New documentary

A new one-off documentary presented by Sir Brian – Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers and Me – will be broadcast on BBC2 at 9pm on Friday 23 August.

The one-hour programme is set to reignite the debate on badger culling and the mammals’ disputed spread of bovine TB.

“It’s sad for me because four million people have seen his programme and seen him saying that and unfortunately his advice has been very poor,” said Sir Brian.

“I think we can help him. I think we can give him strategies which can help him keep his farm healthy.”

In his new programme, Sir Brian presents the findings of a six-year study at the Gatcombe Estate in Devon and his beliefs that badgers are not responsible for the transmission of TB to cattle and that inadequate testing and cattle-to-cattle transmission of disease are the main culprits.   

Farmers Weekly has contacted Mr Clarkson’s representatives for his reaction.