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James May today hit out at his Grand Tour colleague Jeremy Clarkson‘s ‘creepy’ newspaper column in which he claimed to hate Meghan Markle on a ‘cellular level’.
Speaking on BBC R4’s Today programme, Mr May, 60, brushed off speculation their Amazon show could be coming to an end and admitted he hadn’t read Mr Clarkson’s incendiary column because he was ‘away’.
Mr May, who had been invited on to the show to discuss his views on potential 20mph speed limits coming into force, was quizzed on the former Top Gear frontman’s controversial views on Ms Markle.
Clarkson, 62, was forced into a grovelling apology last month after using a column he wrote for the Sun newspaper to describe how he wanted to see the Duchess of Sussex paraded through the streets naked as people throw ‘excrement’ at her – in an apparent reference to the infamous ‘Walk of Shame’ scene in Game of Thrones.
Following widespread outrage, he wrote to the Sussexes to apologise on Christmas Day – although the couple later claimed his letter only addressed Harry directly – before he shared a lengthy public apology on his Instagram account.
James May today hit out at his Grand Tour colleague Jeremy Clarkson’s ‘creepy’ newspaper column in which he claimed to hate Meghan Markle on a ‘cellular level’
Clarkson wrote that he ‘hated’ the Duchess and dreamed of her being paraded through towns naked, having ‘excrement’ thrown at her
At the end of an interview about 20mph speed limits, broadcaster Martha Kearney crowbarred in a final question about Mr Clarkson’s future on Amazon and the backlash to his controversial column.
Clarkson’s words were published just a day after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released the final part of their Netflix docu-series, Harry & Meghan.
After admitting he hadn’t read the column, Kearney proceeded to reel off extracts of the piece to Mr May.
Jeremy Clarkson (pictured), host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, was forced into a grovelling apology last month after using a newspaper column to blast Meghan Markle
He said: ‘Well I think he [Clarkson] did say something like: “All people my age think the same way”.
‘Well I’d like to go on record and say I don’t, and I’m only a few years younger than him.’
Asked if he condemned Mr Clarkson’s article, May responded: ‘I wouldn’t have written that.
‘I think it sounds a little bit too creepy but I’m also very much in favour of free speech and allowing the “haters to hate” so we can see what they have to say.
Following the release of the final set of episodes from the Sussexes’ six-part series, Clarkson wrote a column for The Sun, saying: ‘I hate her. Not like I hate Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level.
‘At night, I’m unable to sleep as I lie there, grinding my teeth and dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her.
‘Everyone who’s my age thinks the same way.’
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Jeremy Clarkson’s remarks sparked fury, with more than 25,000 complaints lodged with the Independent Press Standards Organisation watchdog
In a lengthy statement on his verified Instagram account, The Grand Tour presenter said he emailed the couple on Christmas Day to say his language in the column had been ‘disgraceful’ and he was ‘profoundly sorry’
His remarks sparked fury, with more than 20,000 complaints lodged with the Independent Press Standards Organisation watchdog.
Clarkson’s own daughter, Emily, joined those condemning the former journalist for his column.
Posting on her Instagram page last month, she said she supports those ‘targeted with online hatred’ and distanced herself from her father’s views.
Fellow celebrities were also quick to condemn Clarkson’s op-ed, from comedians Kathy Burke and John Bishop to Countdown star Carol Vorderman.
Clarkson’s deal with Amazon Prime – for shows the Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm – appears to be over, although the broadcaster is set to take part in filming for the latest series of ITV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? next month.
In a lengthy statement on his verified Instagram account, The Grand Tour presenter earlier said he emailed the couple on Christmas Day to say his language in the column had been ‘disgraceful’ and he was ‘profoundly sorry’.
Prince Harry branded the article about his wife Meghan Markle ‘horrific, hurtful and cruel’
Reports suggest that Clarkson’s Farm could end with Season 3, expected in 2024
He said: ‘One of the strange things I’ve noticed in recent times is that whenever an MP or a well-known person is asked to apologise for something, no matter how heartfelt or profound that apology may be, it’s never enough for the people who called for it in the first place.
‘So I’m going to try and buck the trend this morning with an apology for the things I said in a Sun column recently about Meghan Markle. I really am sorry. All the way from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head. This is me putting my hands up. Its a mea culpa with bells on.
‘Usually, I read what I’ve written to someone else before filing, but I was home alone on that fateful day, and in a hurry. So when I’d finished, I just pressed Send. And then, when the column appeared the next day, the landmine exploded.’
It comes as Variety reported that Amazon Prime Video will not be working with Clarkson beyond seasons of The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm that they have previously commissioned.
The reports say Clarkson’s Farm could end with Season 3, expected in 2024, and The Grand Tour could end after four more special episodes, the last of which is expected to be in late 2024.
Clarkson’s Farm documents his efforts to run the Oxfordshire Farm he bought in 2008.
The success of the series has seen visitors flock to the Diddly Squat farm shop in Chipping Norton Road, Chadlington and the second series is due to launch on February 10 on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories.
Amazon have been approached for comment.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
