Westward Ho! man credits Jeremy Clarkson with 'saving his life' after cancer discovery

A Westward Ho! man currently in remission has credited Jeremy Clarkson with ‘saving his life’ after an episode of The Grand Tour encouraged him to check himself for cancer.

Andy Hood, 52, a training manager, believes that Clarkson, along with co-stars Richard Hammond and James May, played a pivotal role in saving his life through a specific episode of The Grand Tour. 

The episode prompted him to perform a self-examination for cancer.

While watching, Andy saw the trio attempt a challenge to drive around a race track as fast as they could while desperately needing the toilet. 

The challenge involved drinking three pints of water each, waiting 20 minutes, and then testing their lap times while trying to hold it in.

ABOVE: The episode which Andy credits 'saved his life'

This lighthearted task made Andy reflect on the common experience of men needing to get up in the night to use the toilet. 

Health professionals have said that needing to use the toilet three times or more during the night could indicate a potential issue with the prostate, which prompted Andy to check himself.

He told the Gazette: “I would never have checked myself, and I would never have detected my cancer if it wasn't for an episode of The Grand Tour. They were doing one of their challenges, seeing how quickly they could drive a lap around the race track while desperate for the toilet. They were just joking around about getting up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, and that kind of got me thinking. I thought, 'I’ve never actually checked myself. Perhaps that’s something I should do.' And that’s where it all started.”

A keen runner, Andy decided to check himself after one of his runs. 

This decision led to him discovering an abnormality, which prompted him to seek medical advice. 

He was diagnosed with testicular cancer, however, it was caught early enough to be treated successfully. 

Andy credits Clarkson with indirectly saving his life, as if he hadn’t seen that particular episode, he might not have checked himself at the right time.

Now living in remission three years after his diagnosis, Andy is once again running to support cancer charities like ChemoHero and Macmillan. 

His latest run, themed around Clarkson's Farm, is his tribute to the man who unwittingly saved his life.

Andy, a self-proclaimed Clarkson superfan, has completed many charity runs in the past, but this one is by far the most emotional for him. 

Andy said: “I've been watching Clarkson's farm because I think he's, I think he's amazing in that... what he's managed to do is bring a lot of the difficulties to light what farmers go through.”

The run, named the ‘Burger Run,’ will see Andy run 35 miles from Oxford Railway Station to Clarkson’s farm shop, Diddly Squat, the iconic location from the Amazon Prime TV show. Along the way, he’ll pass significant landmarks, including the Hawk Stone, which inspired Clarkson's own brand, and the Farmer’s Dog pub, which Andy said seves “amazing desserts.”

In a nod to Clarkson's farm, Andy plans to stop at the farm shop and enjoy one of Diddly Squat’s famous beef burgers. 

He joked: “They serve a fantastic beef burger there. So I decided 35 miles - that's got to earn me the calories.”

Gerald Cooper, a cast member from Clarkson's Farm who was diagnosed with prostate cancer during the latest season of the show, will also be honoured by Andy during the run. Andy has added Gerald’s name to his backpack, alongside the names of other cancer patients, as a way to carry the emotional weight of his journey and support others in their battles.

Andy’s upcoming run has already gained attention, with Diddly Squat Farm Shop reposting one of his Instagram posts, which received over 80,000 views. 

While he doesn’t expect to meet Clarkson personally, Andy plans to deliver a heartfelt letter of gratitude at the farm shop, thanking the star for his unintentional role in saving his life.

When asked by the Gazette who he would choose to run with him, Andy said if he could pick anyone in the world, it would be Charlie Ireland, known as ‘Cheerful Charlie’ from Clarkson's Farm.

So far, Andy has raised over £11,000 for charity through his runs, but the impact goes beyond the funds. 

He’s received messages from people who checked themselves after seeing his posts, potentially saving lives in the process.

He said: “I've raised, you know, the couple of years since I've been back in the running shoes, I've managed to raise just over 11,000... But it's all about awareness. You know, there's not a week goes past when I don't get a message in my DMs or in my inbox with someone saying, I've seen what you're doing. I've never checked myself before. I've done it because you prompted me to do so.”

The emotional toll of living in remission and the constant fear of cancer returning adds another layer to Andy’s running mission. 

He shared: “The hardest part will be arriving at the farm. I’ve virtually done it on Google Street View. I know the minute I turn onto that road, I will be overcome with emotion. Having cancer is really hard, and while I’m in remission, it will always be a part of who I am today.”

Both Macmillan and ChemoHero have provided Andy with invaluable support during his cancer journey, and he now pays it forward through his advocacy and fundraising efforts.

You can support Andy here: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/6369/andy-runs-ultras/