Jeremy Clarkson 'told to apologise' to avoid Jonathan Ross repeat
Jeremy Clarkson has been forced to apologise over strikers remark
Also In The News
|
A record-breaking on-the-night total of more than £26 million has been raised by the BBC's annual Children in Need show. |  |
Saturday, 03, Dec 2011 08:47
Posted by Rob Stanworth
Controversial Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was ordered to apologise by BBC boss Mark Thompson in order to avert a Jonathan Ross-style fiasco.
The star launched into a tirade about striking workers on The One Show earlier this week, claiming that they should be shot and "taken outside and executed in front of their families".
However, with more than 20,000 complaints, the BBC moved to ensure that Clarkson apologised, perhaps learning lessons from 2008 where Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand hit the headlines for leaving lewd answer phone messages with former Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs.
"Chats were had and Jeremy was persuaded that it was the right thing to do. Now that he has apologised, that is the end of it. There will be no disciplinary action and he will not be fired," an insider told the Daily Mirror.
Clarkson defended his remarks by claiming that he was following BBC protocol by being impartial and balanced, having earlier claimed that the strikers have been "fantastic" because the roads and airports were quieter than usual.
"But we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC," he said, before claiming that they should be shot.