Charlie Ireland has used Father’s Day 2026 to raise awareness of the disease, remembering his late father’s “devastating” diagnosis.
The agronomist and land agent – who advises Clarkson, who revealed his prostate cancer was in remission on Saturday on the Prime Video show – shared a video of himself to raise awareness of Global MND Awareness Day, which took place on Sunday, the same day as Father’s Day.
Mr Ireland said: “Overall, I think it’s a poignant day, Father’s Day – men are more likely to develop the disease, so the fact the global awareness day falls on Father’s Day makes it just a little bit special this year.
“It’s also particularly poignant for me that it lands on Father’s Day – my father was affected with motor neurone disease, and he died in 2011 having been diagnosed in late 2007.
“Although nearly 15 years have passed, and time really does heal, it’s an opportunity to remind people of the devastating impact of the disease.
“Unfortunately, it impacts far too many people and anything we can do to improve, accelerate getting an answer to a cure would be absolutely marvellous.”
He has also thrown his support behind the MND Association’s Special Days Matter campaign as an ambassador of the charity, which urges people to share their memories of loved ones who have suffered from the disease.
Mr Ireland added: “Dad had a great sense of humour and he also treated people incredibly fairly no matter who they were, which really was a powerful trait that enabled him to talk to absolutely anybody, which was fantastic as a boy growing up.
“Dad was a farmer, but he backed us to go and do other things with our careers, so my brother, my sister and I have all done different things, and he was incredibly supportive of whatever we did.
“He was quite pleased that I worked in agriculture, and we would talk quite often on our ‘new’ mobile phones back in the late 90s, early 2000s. He was just a great support, and I really valued his advice as I grew up.”
The MND Association says six people are diagnosed with the disease, which attacks the nerves which send messages to the muscles, each day in the UK.
It says that within months, a person with MND may lose their voice, their movement and even their ability to breathe.
Mr Ireland’s message comes after Mr Clarkson urged people to get tested for prostate cancer following his diagnosis, which was revealed in the latest episodes of the fifth series of Clarkson’s Farm.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the 66-year-old said: “This is why I have to say to everybody who’s reading this, please, please, please go and get checked.
“It’s not uncomfortable, it’s not undignified, and it’s a no-brainer. I did, and that’s why I’m sitting here talking to you.”
