Clarkson offered pub landlady £1million within minutes of meeting her

She told MailOnline: “A film crew had come into the pub and immediately afterwards someone from Clarkson knocked on the door and asked if I was interested in selling it.”

Mrs Walker, who opened the rural pub with her late husband Alan in 1983, visited Clarkson’s home near the village of Chadlington to discuss conditions over coffee.

She said, “The first thing Jeremy said to me was, I guess you want a lot of money for this.”

It was reported that almost £1 million was offered to her almost immediately, and Ms Walker accepted. Clarkson was granted the freedom of the pub, which is not affiliated with a brewery, meaning it can sell its own beer on site.

Ms Walker said: “It made me laugh, but it’s Jeremy Clarkson.” She said she had no plans to sell the place but was not very happy with the way it was being run, adding: “I’m not getting any younger.”

“I think he’ll make a TV series out of it. I really hope he can make this place a real success and restore it to the way it used to be. My husband and I have had a lot of fun running it.”