Top Gear has been making headlines for years, mainly thanks to its mild-mannered, unassuming and very PC presenter, Jeremy Clarkson. Hmm.
Here’s a run-down of Jeremy Clarkson’s top five gaffes from the show. We’re sure he regrets every single one…
1. December 2005: Germany
While talking about German company BMW’s Mini, Clarkson raised his arm in a Nazi-style salute, adding that the car’s satellite navigation system “only goes to Poland". Unsurprisingly, ze Germans weren’t best amused.
2. November 2008: Lorry Drivers
A joke about lorry drivers killing prostitutes? Why not! On an episode where he was filmed driving a lorry, Clarkson jibed: “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." After more than 500 complaints to the BBC and calls for Clarkson to lose his job, the presenter gave a mock apology on the following week’s show. Good one, Clarkson.
3. December 2010: Mexico
The BBC was forced to apologise to the Mexican ambassador after Clarkson branded Mexicans “lazy”, “feckless” and “flatulent” in a Top Gear episode. He also described Mexican food as "refried sick", and said that the Mexican ambassador wouldn’t complain as he was probably asleep. Guess what? He wasn’t. And he did.
4. March 2014: Burma
During a Top Gear special in Burma, Clarkson and Hammond helped build a bridge over a Burmese river. So far, so inoffensive. But then, as an Asian man walked towards them on the bridge, Clarkson told Hammond “This is a proud moment. But there’s a slope on it.” Clarkson was reprimanded for using the offensive term, and his response was to issue this tweet: “Big thanks to all the Top Gear off-screen people for a phenomenal job on tonight's show. Have yourselves a black cock on me.” We’ll put that slice of humble pie back in the fridge, for you then shall we, Clarkson?
5. May 2014: Clarkson “uses the n-word"
It was edited out of the show's final cut, but The Mirror managed to get hold of BBC tapes in which Clarkson used the ‘n’ word while reciting a nursery rhyme. Clarkson actually issued an apology for this blunder. Which shocked us almost as much as his rhyme did.