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Jeremy Clarkson has made a huge update about his Diddly Squat farm - but was hit by backlash from critics. The Clarkson's Farm star posted to Instagram to announce the arrival of a new donkey, who he has named Ben.

He shared a snap of the cut creature as he wrote: "Please welcome to Diddly Squat. New Ben." While some fans fawned over the farm animal, the announcement sparked concern with others. One quizzed in the comments: "Does he have a mate?? I thought donkeys were meant to be in a pair?" Another echoed: "Aww he is gorgeous but he needs a friend though. They don't like to be alone." While a third pointed out: "Hope you know he needs a friend. Can't be alone." One more person wrote: "I hope you have another donkey for Ben, donkeys shouldn't live on their own and other livestock aren't suitable companions."

Clarkson replied to some of the comments, as he stated: "Yes. We know that."

The positive update follows some worrying news from Clarkson's Farm earlier this week as he said that they are facing a "very problematic" year.

In his column for the Sunday Times, Clarkson revealed he is trying his hand with hops by investing millions of pounds to help fund hop farmers.

He wrote that his Hawkstone brewery is buying output from Charles Faram Farms, Britain's main hop farming collective, to give farmers security with "a lack of government direction or help".

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The TV farmer considered trying to grow hops on his own land, but the farm was not suitable, as he penned: "Ideally, you need deep, fertile soil and protection from the wind. I'm 1,000 feet up in the Cotswolds, where conditions unfortunately aren't right."

He continued: "We have got a very problematic year coming up. We know for a fact we won't make money on wheat and barley. And we're still closed down with TB [cattle tuberculosis]."

Last week, Clarkson also said: "There's no filming happening on the farm at the moment. Or farming.

"It hasn't stopped raining since the beginning of the year, so I can't plant anything, and I can't do anything with my cows either because we are still locked down by TB."