Clarkson’s Top Ten – faux pas
10. July 2008 – Drink driving
Jeremy was BBC-censured for promoting drink-driving after being filmed knocking back a G&T tipple whilst behind the wheel of a 4x4 pickup during an episode of Top Gear, where he and co-presenter, James May drove to the North Pole. Hick!
9. October 2009 - Black Muslim lesbians
Jeremy infuriated readers of Top Gear magazine in 2009 when he accused TV producers of being fixated on working in to programmes the likes of “black Muslim lesbians” to balance out the number of white heterosexual males.
8. February 2009 - Gordon Brown
Jeremy hits the headlines again when dismissing the then Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown as a “one-eyed Scottish idiot” during an Australian press conference. The majority of complaints however seemed to be aimed at the “Scottish idiot” part of the insult, whilst Clarkson’s subsequent apology only referred to what he had said about Mr Brown’s appearance.
7. December 2005 - Germans
Jeremy courts controversy once more when he took a leaf out of Basil Fawlty’s book on ‘Good Hoteliers’ when he gave a Nazi salute during a segment about German company BMW when in a Top Gear episode, he suggested that one of its cars should have a Sat-Nav that “only goes to Poland”. There’s a thought – Basil and Jeremy presenting on Germany’s version of Top Gear…
6. April 2007 - The Perodua Kelisa
Jeremy carried on the upset but this time with the Malaysians when he described a car made in their country as the worst car in the world. After taking a sledge hammer to the Perodua Kelisa, he then destroyed the car by blowing it up whilst likening its name to that of a disease. He implied the car was built by “jungle people who wear leaves as shoes”.
5. November 2008 - Lorry drivers
Jeremy is in very hot water again when he joked about lorry drivers being murderers. Referring to Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper during a piece on driving lorries, Jeremy described his experience as: “Change gear, change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That’s a lot of effort in a day.” Following numerous complaints to Ofcom, and the BBC, and a call from an MP for him to lose his job, Jeremy only managed a small apology on the following week’s show.
4. July 2010 – Burkas and lingerie
Jeremy came under more fire following a discussion about dangerous driving conditions. The Top Gear presenters said that scantilly-clad women were the biggest distractions to him and other road-users. From left of field, he said: “Honestly, the burka doesn’t work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up came the, red g-string and stockings.”
3. August 2010 - Special needs
Jeremy came under attack again only a few weeks later as he provoked disability charities with a remark about people with “special needs”. Comparing two Ferraris on the show, instead of using the correct description of the 430 Speciale, he went on to describe the older one as a “simpleton”, suggesting also that it ought to have been called “430 Speciale needs”. The remark prompted a backlash from the National Autistic Society.
2. February 2011 – Mexicans
Jeremy was forced, along with the BBC to apologise to the Mexican Ambassador over comments from the Top Gear team made about his fellow countrymen. Co presenter, Richard Hammond, joked that Mexican cars reflected national characteristics, saying they were “a lazy, feckless, flatulent oaf with a moustache, leaning against a fence asleep”. Jeremy suggested they won’t complain.. The Mexican government promptly did so and demanded an immediate apology.
1. January 2012- Indians
Jeremy continues this year in the same vein by upsetting the nation when viewers complained to the BBC after he made controversial remarks about the India’s clothing, trains, food and history. At one point, Jeremy appeared to make light of the lack of sanitation for its poor residents, by driving around slums in a Jaguar fitted with a toilet.
Added: 22 January 2012
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