Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, has shared his opinions on today's strike action and other issues such as suicide on the country's railways, with viewers of the BBC's The One Show. His appearance was followed swiftly by an on-air apology from the show's presenters who tried to explain Clarkson was simply trying a bit too hard to be funny; like family members left apologising for the behaviour of an elderly relative who had disgraced himself at a wedding.
Among a number of comments which sparked complaints to the programme and on Twitter, Clarkson said strikers "should be shot... executed in front of their families", because their decision to strike is unfair on people like him who have to "work for a living" (this is the same Clarkson of course who is rumoured to earn more than £1m per year for driving cars and insulting foreign nationals... barely qualifying him to be an overpaid taxi driver).
Clarkson's increasingly desperate efforts to cause offence are well documented of course, but the below clip is worth watching for the face pulled by One Show presenter Alex Jones (she has previous here, having pulled a similar expression when co-presenter Matt Baker asked David Cameron how he can sleep at night):
My father is a taxi driver and he does not insult foreigners. That's a slur on Taxi Drivers who are of course human too. You're basically as bad as Clarkson.
Insulting a group of people to make a point about someone who has insulted a group of people, diminishes the point you're trying to make.
Posted by: Emma Quinn | Nov 30, 2011 at 21:18
This is the same Clarkson who works for the flipping BBC. He is a public sector worker.
Posted by: Megan | Nov 30, 2011 at 21:40
Mister Clarkson thinks he's god's gift to mankind, humiliated his colleagues in a haughty (arrogantly)manner.
immediate dismissal is the only option for the BBC.
Posted by: Peter van Stiphout | Dec 01, 2011 at 00:15
Oh please...
Get a grip.
Firstly, he commented that for "balance" he stated he hated the strikers after saying he was in favour as it was easier for him to travel around London.
Also, he is a forthright individual.Nothing wrong with that. If you cant say what you mean then you dont mean what you say!
Finally, to everyone calling for his head; if this is the most pressing issue in your lives then you are very very sad people indeed....Complain about something worthwhile....
Posted by: cornz. | Dec 01, 2011 at 18:20