A Jeremy Clarkson column about Meghan Markle has provoked fury online, with social media users labelling it "vile", "horrific" and "abusive". Published in print on Friday, the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? host wrote that he loathed Meghan "on a cellular level".
The 62-year-old then revealed how he was "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". He added: "Everyone who's my age thinks the same way."
His comments have since drawn widespread condemnation. Taking to Twitter, comedian John Bishop said the remarks were a "blatant appeal to incite humiliation and violence on a woman". While presenter Carol Vorderman tweeted: "No, Jeremy Clarkson. Not on any level, in any circumstance, is it OK to write this stuff about any woman and absolutely no to 'everyone who’s my age thinks the same'."
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Meanwhile, Clarkson's daughter Emily, who hosts the Should I Delete That? podcast, was praised by many on social media for an Instagram post that said: "I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything my dad said about Meghan Markle and I remain standing in support of those who are targeted with online hatred." Comedian Dom Joly replied that he was left "literally gobsmacked" at Clarkson's "utterly vile and disgusting comments".
He added: "What is it about these type of men that triggers them so?" His fellow comic Jason Manford tweeted a photo of an excerpt from the article with the caption: "If you can defend Clarkson in this, then please don't reply to me, just unfollow and block and move on. We are never going to agree."
The 5 Live presenter Rachel Burden tweeted: "So, there’s Jeremy Clarkson writing what he did. And then the editor deciding to publish it.” Echoing her comments, Radio DJ and TV host Edith Bowman questioned: "How is someone able to print such abusive comments in an actual newspaper?"
Harry and Meghan recently opened up about life as senior royals in the UK and their decision to step down from their duties in a six-part Netflix docuseries. The final instalments of the show were released last Thursday (December 15).
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