Jeremy Clarkson responds to outrage over Meghan Markle article: ‘I’ve rather put my foot in it’
Jeremy Clarkson has pledged to be “more careful in future” following a fierce backlash over his remarks about Meghan Markle last week.
In a column for The Sun, the journalist and former Top Gear presenter wrote that he dreamt of the day Markle would be made to parade naked through Britain while the crowd chanted “shame” and threw “excrement” at her.
The 62-year-old claimed that “everyone who’s my age thinks the same way”.
His remarks were widely condemned by celebrities including John Bishop and Carol Vorderman, along with public figures such as Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was name-checked in the column alongside Markle, and London mayor Sadiq Khan.
Clarkson wrote on Twitter: “Oh dear. I’ve rather put my foot in it. In a column I wrote about Meghan, I made a clumsy reference to a scene in Game of Thrones and this has gone down badly with a great many people. I’m horrified to have caused so much hurt and I shall be more careful in future.”
“I think what he said about Meghan Markle was deeply misogynist and just downright awful and horrible,” Sturgeon said of Clarkson’s comments.
“I have to say, taking a step back from it, my overwhelming emotion about guys like Jeremy Clarkson is pity. I mean, what is it that makes somebody so distorted by hate that they end up writing these things?
“I think that possibly gives an insight into Jeremy Clarkson and the kind of person he is. So maybe he just needs to take a step back from things and just think about life a bit more.”
Clarkson’s own daughter, Emily Clarkson, said in an online post that she is “against everything that my dad wrote”.
“My views are and have always been clear when it comes to misogyny, bullying and the treatment of women by the media,” she said in a statement shared via her Instagram story.
“I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything that my dad wrote about Meghan Markle and I remain standing in support of those that are targeted with online hatred.”
Ipso reported on Monday 19 December that it had received thousands of complaints over the article.
Speaking to BBC News, a representative for the independent press standards organisation said that the complaints are being assessed in accordance with its standard procedure.
