Amanda Owen didn’t hold back when it came to joking about her former husband Clive during the latest episode of Our Farm Next Door. As she quipped about his upcoming surgery, Amanda remarked playfully and suggested that he “can’t get his leg over”.
Her comment had fans chuckling, however, others couldn’t ignore that Clive appeared to be in significant discomfort. The second series of the More4 documentary returned to screens on Tuesday, bringing viewers back to the rural lives of the Owen family consisting of Amanda, her ex-husband Clive, and their nine children as they continue transforming Anty Johns Farm, the long-abandoned property adjacent to their original Ravenseat Farm.
In this week’s instalment, filmed in September 2024, Clive prepared to undergo a second hip replacement. At 70, the father-of-nine appeared visibly strained as he coped with the increasing pain.
Amanda, 50, didn’t shy away from her candid sense of humour. Reflecting on Clive’s condition in a solo interview, she remarked: “It’s getting ever so close now to Clive going for his hip operation. So yeah, he’s a bit nervous. I can tell, I know he’s a bit nervous, but he needs doing. Because basically, I don’t think I can say… he can’t get his leg over, but yeah, he can’t.”
Amanda and Clive announced their decision to split in 2022, after 22 years of marriage.
She explained that even riding the quad bike had become a challenge for him: “He’s having to sit sideways on the quad bike at the moment. So yeah, it’s giving him some jip.”
Convincing Clive to undergo surgery hadn’t been easy, as she added: “And trying to persuade him to do anything that’s gonna take him out of action is quite a hard sell, really. But finally, he’s going, and he won’t regret it… he knows it’ll breathe new life into him.”
Amanda also shared that Clive’s tendency to micromanage hadn’t waned, despite his health issues: “He’s already pointing out how he wants everything to be, yada yada yada. Because he’s one of those, he’s like, ‘oh, you know, the place is gonna fall apart if I’m not here.’ He’s not very good at letting go. So I just know how it will be.”
As he faced surgery, Clive admitted he wasn’t thrilled, but accepted the necessity: “I wouldn’t say I’m really looking forward to it, but that’s what’s gonna happen and so this is my last day for a little while. And then, I’ll be back and I’ll just have to tell them what to do and drive them all mad. Yeah, I mean, you’re bound to be nervous, but no, no, I’m alright with it.”
Following the operation, Amanda gave an unfiltered assessment of Clive’s recovery describing him as far from easygoing: “Clive hasn’t felt great, and with it his temperament has been problematic… Now, he’s taking his first faltering steps outside and he’s finding fault with everything.”
During an earlier appearance on Lorraine, Amanda shared that juggling the farm, her children, and Clive’s convalescence had taken its toll: “There’s a lot going on here. It’s been a nightmare here. I’ve got children going to school, I’ve got children studying and children working and then he comes to me and says he’s bored.”
Despite the humorous tone, some viewers were unsettled after watching Amanda’s most recent interview on Lorraine, with several expressing concern online that “something doesn’t seem right.”
Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
