Jeremy Clarkson hasn’t been “canceled,” but… he probably won’t be on TV as much anymore
The former Top Gear host will soon be the former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host
Aux News Jeremy Clarkson
A few months after former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson wrote a deeply misogynistic column about Meghan Markle in British tabloid The Sun, the famous TV guy is kind of facing repercussions from it. We say “kind of” because British celebrities tend to enjoy a staggering amount of leeway in terms of what they can get away with (for example: the monarchy and everything they’ve ever done), but there does appear to be a tangible impact to what he said—and, lest we forget, how he said it, which involved a public apology addressed exclusively to Prince Harry and not Markle herself.
We covered this all recently at The A.V. Club as a tie-in with the new season of the Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm, in which Clarkson moves on from the regular topics he ostensibly knows about—car stuff, as seen in Top Gear and his follow-up series The Grand Tour—to detail his life as a terrible farmer trying to raise livestock and grow crops even though he has no idea how to do it. The basic appeal of the show, as we explained previously, is that Clarkson gets to goof around with his usual oaf persona (though it’s probably not a persona) while people who do know what they’re doing can poke fun at him and teach him (and the viewers!) about the plight of the modern British farmer.
The problem is that it becomes harder to buy that appeal when Clarkson insists on being so… unappealing, which Prime Video implicitly acknowledged in January when it reacted to Clarkson’s Markle column by saying that it would still air a previously commissioned third season of Clarkson’s Farm and four final Grand Tour specials that had also already been ordered, but that the streaming service’s relationship with Clarkson would probably end there. Some would probably argue that he wasn’t really “canceled” in any way (and therefore hasn’t actually been punished), since Prime Video is still obligated to release a bunch of stuff that he’s in, but it seems pretty clear that it is just that: an obligation.
And now, pretty much the exact same thing has happened with one of Clarkson’s other TV projects. Clarkson, a man who famously presents himself as very dumb, has been the host of the British version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? on ITV since 2018, but now Variety says that relationship is also coming to an end… after a previously made obligation, of course. ITV boss Carolyn McCall told Variety that they’re “contracted” to do this season, “so we will do that,” adding, “and then we have no future commitments.”
Again, it’s pretty obvious what that means, but Clarkson is denying that these words mean what they clearly mean, posting on Twitter that he has “not been sacked.” On top of that, a spokesperson for ITV told Sky News that “neither Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? nor Jeremy Clarkson have been canceled.” Once again: The meaning is very clear. The show will continue on without him, but he gets to save face by saying his contract ran out and that he therefore wasn’t fired.
It’s not quite what happened to the Dilbert guy, but a man who used to be on TV and then publicly said a bunch of terrible things about a woman will now be on TV less often. Until someone inevitably comes along and gives him a new TV show, which should take 10 or 15 minutes.
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He will truly be missed…by someone…probably.
Whoever they are they should improve their aim
PS: This gif was meant to people who miss Jeremy Clarkson incase anybody misunderstanding the joke.It’s the internet after all.
Clarkson is denying that these words mean what they clearly mean, posting on Twitter that he has “not been sacked.” On top of that, a spokesperson for ITV told Sky News that “neither Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? nor Jeremy Clarkson have been canceled.”
A moose ate my sister.
I got blisters on your sister!
This is nonsense. The entire British press has said worse things about her and Harry. And for God’s sake don’t look them up on YouTube. It’s practically a cottage industry giving bad takes on them. If you punish one but let the rest off how is that justice? Taking Clarkson off television is slapping a band aid on a gunshot.
Ugh, good riddance.
Too bad he’s awesome.
so brave
Holy hell. A guy born in 1960 has some unpopular modern opinions? Never have I ever seen something like this happen. Get over yourself and realize not everyone cares about every little thing someone says. Also, the demeaning nature in which you refer to him through the article just shows you already think he’s a turd. Have you met him? Spoken with him in an ordinary conversation? No? Then stfu and keep painting your nails love.
the people who write his checks sure seem to care. sorry bout your luck jer.
About time. It was bad enough when he got away with beating up on one of his staff for bringining him the wrong sandwich.
you mean a hot dog?
I’m a bit confused by the above claim that “Clarkson, a man who famously presents himself as very dumb”, as though I haven’t seen any of the farming show in Top Gear his persona was “the arrogant know it all”.
A friend met him at a garden party once (she was doing the catering, rather than being a guest) and said he was an absolute tosser to the staff there too, so all I can say is that I’m delighted he’ll be working less and hope no one else hires him now.
I’m not sure if you’ve met any know it alls, but they do not actually know it all. He plays (may not actually be acting) as a blow hard who insists he knows what’s best and routinely gets shown the error of his ways. When I watch TG or TGT, the impression I get is that this is a man who has gotten to play with fantastic toys for decades and has learned as little about them as possible.
These are the exact types of people who love the guy (not surprisingly).The oafish people who think they know everything, and try to bulldoze or “gish gallop” anyone who disagrees with them. Don’t get me wrong – I find him entertaining enough for the bumbling screwup aspect. I am sure it’s played up for the self-deprecating aspect, and it’s the only thing which makes his antics watchable.You may enjoy the schadenfreude of the Alabama Top Gear episode where he realizes he’s gone too far, and might be legitimately getting himself and everyone else lynched. (But of course – there was a producer from Alabama that told them this would happen, and they did it anyways)
Jeremy has literally punched a producer in the face, got fired, and came back stronger than ever when his Top Gear co-presenters followed him to the Grand Tour. He has a long history of saying controversial things. Jeremy has scores of fans for the very reason he is now finding himself, yet again, in hot water. He speaks outlandish things that many find highly entertaining. Jeremy’s only misstep was apologizing for his remarks. There’s no paucity of individuals out there who feel that Jeremy’s words in his Markle column resonate with them and reflect their own feelings regarding the attention-seeking professional social ladder climber otherwise know as the Duchess of Sussex. The winds of societal approval have already shifted in a less punitive direction for Jeremy since the release of his Markle column. The only reason any media outlet might have planned to cancel him would be because they feared reprisal and ultimately financial harm. It’s since become clear, due in no small part to the positive ratings of South Parks “The Worldwide Privacy Tour”, that the masses have grown tired of hearing of the plight of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The masses are losing their empathy for Meghan and increasingly beginning to see her for who she is: sorority girl, actress, influencer and “victim.” Jeremy Clarkson’s Meghan insults had nothing do with her being female or a person of color – a fact that fully eludes those who are rooting for his demise. Rather his Meghan insults had everything to due with how loathable the Duchess of Sussex truly is. Jeremy has built himself a long and distinguished career saying irreverent things. Despite his Meghan insults, he’s going to be just fine. He’s said/written/done worse things in the past and the masses love him for it.
“Known provocateur makes reference to the most popular show of the last decade in a trashy tabloid column, labeled a misogynist.”If he’d said the same thing about Piers Morgan (whom he also hates), no one would bat an eye.
oh nooos – he said terrible things about a ROYAL – oh fuck, now we have to defend the monarchy because of diversity
I’m kind of surprised that he got his comeuppance from fantasizing in his column about a woman he doesn’t like receiving the Circe Walk Of Shame from Game Of Thrones rather than the time he physically assaulted a subordinate over a cold dinner. I think the fact that he seems to be experiencing equal or greater consequences for this offense says quite a bit about society or at least the media. If you’re not famous you don’t fucking matter. If there’s not a media narrative to be spun around you, you don’t fucking matter. Talking shit gets the same punishment as committing violence when the victim’s status is high enough. Positively medieval.
I’m a fan of Jeremy Clarkson and have enjoyed a lot of his work. But… good. Actions should have consequences. Maybe in his spare time he can work on being less of a dick.
He stopped doing Car shows except for the one a year now and is doing farming for some stupid reason. The farming show was horrible, Richard Hammond should get two more host for the Grand Tour to start back up as a season show.
The farming show is brilliant, and I enjoyed it way more than expected. It’s a boon to the UK, and honestly to the farming community and the larger rural populous as their plights have a voice now.
It may not be for you, but it is a National Treasure to those who’s tastes you might not approve of. Clarkson for all his public faux-pas’ has done much for the UK, the BBC, and Amazon Prime. So tastes aside, the man being the personality he is, has accomplished a lot more good than anything else.
Especially from a cancel culture point of view. At least he was not on the Epstein PAX list, like many other that yet remains to be keelhauled by the so inclined.
Also he punched his producer while shouting racial slurs. Over a sandwich.