Jeremy Clarkson is holding a showdown meeting with local residents over concerns about his Oxfordshire farm shop.

The television presenter, 61, has called the meeting at the Memorial Hall in Chadlington after there was “debate” in the village over the Diddly Squat farm shop’s future.

Arriving at the packed meeting in the village hall, Clarkson was questioned about what he thought might happen.

He told reporters: “Who knows? I’m just here to listen. Gossip spreads in villages and they don’t know what we’re doing so I thought, the best thing I can do is come down and say, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ and then it isn’t gossip any more.

“Someone gave me the finger on the way in.”

Questioned about the traffic caused by customers to his popular farm shop, he quipped: “Hey listen, the village has created a bit of a traffic jam tonight.”

Posters put up ahead of the meeting in Chadlington read: “As there seems to be some debate in the village about what’s going on at Diddly Squat, Jeremy Clarkson will be at the Memorial Hall to explain his plans and to take any questions you may have.

“Everybody from the area is welcome to attend. Cheese and wine will be provided.”

Clarkson’s business is the subject of an Amazon Studios series called Clarkson’s Farm.

He bought the farm in 2008 and it was run by a villager, but when he retired in 2019, the TV presenter decided to see if he could run it himself.

The series won plaudits for its beautiful cinematography coupled with the lovable group of staff who were not afraid to tell Clarkson when he was being useless.

It charted the difficulties faced by farm workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.