Cheerful Charlie is a beloved character from the popular Amazon Prime show, Clarkson’s Farm. He has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide with his infectious smile, jovial personality, and unparalleled work ethic.
Charlie Ireland, also known as Cheerful Charlie, is a farmer who works alongside Jeremy Clarkson on his Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds. He is an essential part of the team and has become a fan favourite due to the personality, knowledge, and humour he brings to the show.
Who is Charlie Ireland, the Land Agent?
Introduced by Clarkson as “Cheerful Charlie” in Season 1 of Clarkson’s Farm, named this thanks to his lack of optimism, Charlie is the go-to man for almost anything Clarkson needs. He knows everything from land ownership to how to plant and harvest crops. Because of this, he’s usually quick to comment on what Clarkson has got wrong – similarly to Kaleb Cooper. As Clarkson admits, this usually results in him being shouted at.
Charlie was born in 1994 and grew up in the village of Upper Rissington in Gloucestershire, England. He comes from a long line of farmers, and his passion for farming was passed down to him by his grandfather.
He attended agriculture at the University of Nottingham. After university he became a land agent for Strutt & Parker, starting here in 2000, and boasts skills in sustainable agriculture, agribusiness and real estate development, as well as maintaining a raging Jeremy Clarkson.
Charlie’s Role on Clarkson’s Farm
Charlie is an essential part of the team on Clarkson’s Farm. He works alongside Jeremy Clarkson and the rest of the team to ensure the smooth running of the farm as a business.
One of Charlie’s primary responsibilities on the farm is taking care of the business, planning, and finances of Diddly Squat Farm. He helps Jeremy explore the weird environment of the legalities around farming as well as the council and local area.
What Makes Cheerful Charlie Special?
There are many reasons why Charlie has become a fan favourite on Clarkson’s Farm. His infectious smile, positive attitude, and unparalleled work ethic are just a few of the qualities that make him so special.
Charlie’s outgoing nature and ability to connect with people have also contributed to his popularity. The way he is able to communicate with Jeremy and put him in his place is a joy to watch for fans.
Charlie Reveals The Profit Of The Farm After One Year
At the end of Series 1, Charlie was the one holding the good news for Clarkson. Although, it wasn’t that good. The only good news was that Clarkson hadn’t made a loss since starting the farm, but the bad news was that it had only made a profit of £100 for the year.
Clarkson was obviously shocked by this, with him admitting that he feels for farmers across the country.
Charlie Ireland On Jeremy Clarkson
Talking to BT.com, Charlie explained that he would sometimes have to leave Clarkson so he could “work it out for himself sometimes”. He continued:
“He decided to literally cut corners in the fields rather than do a cumbersome three-point-turn in his tractor.
“But that ruined the neat lines and left him without tramlines which show you where you need to spray, and we probably ended up using 15 per cent extra chemicals because there weren’t clear tramlines for the sprayers to follow.”
Charlie was the guide to farming for Clarkson, teaching him that he had to put real time and effort into his farming for it to yield results.
“You’ve got to let him work it out for himself sometimes,” he admitted. “So, there are good reasons sometimes why we do things a certain way. It was just about trying to explain that. There were times he’d say, ‘How do I do this quickly’ and I had to say, ‘You can’t’.”
