Victoria and David Beckham take pleasure in cosy countryside pub lunch in Chipping Norton (and stumble upon a really acquainted face!)

David Beckham looked as though he was having an awkward chat with Clarkson’s Farm star Gerald Cooper as they were seen in deep conversation at The Chequers pub in Chipping Norton on Saturday night. 

Fans of Jeremy Clarkson’s Amazon Prime show will know Gerald is well known for his barely audible speech thanks to his thick West Country accent.

And while viewers and Jeremy himself struggle to understand the fan favourite on a regular basis, it appeared that the Beckhams were having difficulty too as they were spotted concentrating hard after bumping into Gerald. 

The megastar couple had swapped their swanky, Michelin-starred restaurants for the cosy surroundings of the Cotswolds countryside pub, where they were seen enjoying a quiet lunch. 

In snaps of their encounter, David is seen standing up to greet Gerald, 74, before sitting down next his wife and engaging in a conversation with the dry stone waller, who first appeared on Jeremy Clarkson‘s show back in 2021. 

Gerald has since become a cult figure throughout the series thanks to his accent, on-screen charisma and hilarious interactions with the former Top Gear host, 64. 

Their meet-up with Gerald is hardly surprising given the fact that he works at the nearby Diddly Squat farm in Chipping Norton while the Beckham’s Grade II-listed farmhouse is located on the nearby Great Tew estate. 

During the friendly exchange, the Beckham’s cut a casual figure, with David opting for a plain white T-shirt while Victoria bundled up in a brown, high-neck jumper. 

This isn’t the first time that David has met fan favourite Gerald.

Back in May 2023, David paid a visit to Jeremy’s Diddly Squat Farm, with the football legend stopping to pose for a snap with Gerald. 

David, who cut a laidback figure in a navy blue knitted jumper over a striped white and blue shirt, beamed as he wrapped an arm around Gerald’s shoulders. 

Captioning the joyful photo, Jeremy quipped: ‘Gerald. And another man.’

Gerald has been a hit with fans for his difficult to understand West Country accent and natural charm on screen.

In 2023 he was treated for prostate cancer and underwent surgery. An update on Jeremy Clarkson’s farmer friend was shared on the official Clarkson’s Farm account in June 2024, announcing he was cancer free.

Gerald’s condition had been kept secret from fans of the show until the 2024 series. At the end of the first episode, Jeremy received the heartbreaking news during a phone call with who is thought to be Gerald’s wife.

Clarkson revealed in the second episode more details about Gerald’s cancer diagnosis.

He told viewers: ‘Gerald had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Something me and Kaleb discussed while trying to do what our absent friend normally does.’

Jeremy said: ‘I’ve been phoning around, doctors and things I know, and his odds are really good but it’s scaring him to death.’ Kaleb replied: ‘He doesn’t understand, you know that.’

David’s pub outing comes days after he was seen narrowly avoiding a parking ticket in Manchester City Centre earlier this month.

The former footballer, who recently celebrated the New Year in Miami with his family, was seen leaving Gary Neville‘s Stock exchange hotel as his £600,000 black badge Rolls Royce Cullinan which he had parked on the double yellow lines.

He was accompanied by his mum Sandra and dad Ted.

However, it seems the sports star managed to avoid a parking ticket as he showed his parents the VIP treatment as they drove off from the five star hotel. 

David wrapped up in a smart navy winter coat after spending the day in Manchester, white shirt and black tie. 

Meanwhile, Victoria wished daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz a happy 30th birthday on Instagram on Thursday as she shared a throwback video of the pair dancing.

The post comes after Victoria’s son and Nicola’s husband Brooklyn shared a picture of the la fires, where they live. It’s not known if they have evacuated. 

The fashion mogul proved to her fans that their ‘feud’ is long a thing of the past after she poured out her love for the actress.

Victoria shared the throwback video of the pair dancing on the beach during their lavish family Bahamas holiday in 2023 with her 32.9million followers. 

Nicola showed off her impressively dance moves in the sand while wearing a towering pair of wedges, while her mother-in-law opted for the safer option and went bare foot.

The actress, who is married to David and Victoria’s oldest son Brooklyn, rocked a white pair of shorts with a black blouse and sunglasses. 

Meanwhile Posh Spice looked incredible in a black minidress, sunglasses and styled her long brunette tresses in a neat up do. 

Victoria and Nicola held hands while dancing against the picturesque sunset, shutting down rumours of their ever being a feud between them.

The mother-of-four wrote: ‘Happy Birthday @nicolaannepeltzbeckham!!! Love you so much xxxx’.