Jeremy Clarkson has finally addressed the comments he made about Meghan Markle that led to him being slammed for ‘inciting humiliation and violence’.
The presenter wrote that he hates the Duchess of Sussex ‘on a cellular level’ in a horrific rant in his column in The Sun.
He added that he hoped Meghan would be made to ‘parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her’.
Clarkson faced the wrath of dozens of other celebrities who have labelled his comments ‘utterly vile and disgusting’.
And he has finally addressed the things that he wrote about Meghan.
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He said today: “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.”
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Even his own daughter, author Emily Clarkson, had spoken out against her dad.
Emily, who presents the Should I Delete That podcast, wrote on Instagram: “My views are and have always been clear when it comes to misogyny, bullying and the treatment of women by the media.
Clarkson made the vile comments about Meghan Markle in his column. Credit: Netflix
“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.”
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Clarkson’s column about Meghan also claimed that ‘everyone who’s my age thinks the same’ – a claim that’s been heartily rebutted by presenter Carol Vorderman.
She wrote: “NO Jeremy Clarkson. Not on any level, in any circumstance, is it ok to write this stuff about any woman & absolutely NO to ‘everyone who’s my age thinks the same. No no no. We absolutely do NOT think the same. Listen to the noise Jeremy. The crowds are chanting ‘shame on YOU’.”
NO Jeremy Clarkson. Not on any level, in any circumstance, is it ok to write this stuff about any woman & absolutely NO to "everyone who's my age thinks the same" No no no. We absolutely do NOT think the same. Listen to the noise Jeremy. The crowds are chanting "shame on YOU" pic.twitter.com/OzCt9lHG16
Comedian John Bishop said: “WTF is this ?? I don’t care who you are or who you work for you simply can not write things like this. It is a blatant appeal to incite humiliation and violence on a woman. Some have excused it as dark humour. There is mo joke here @JeremyClarkson and no excuse.”
TV doctor Dr Ranj Singh tweeted: “The worst part of what #JeremyClarkson wrote, isn’t what he actually said… It’s the fact that he exists in a space where he feels it’s permissible to say those vile things – and someone thought it was OK to publish it. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE.”
Comedian Dom Joly said: “Literally gobsmacked at the utterly vile and disgusting comments written about Meghan Markle by Jeremy Clarkson in the Sun. What an utter piece of trash he is…what is it with these type of men that triggers them so?”
Pregnant Then Screwed author Joeli Brearley wrote: “This is sexualised violence. Despising a woman you have never met & being kept awake by an urge to humiliate & attack her in a deeply sexualised manner is deranged. @JeremyClarkson should be arrested. @TheSun should be ashamed. I’ve complained to IPSO & so should you.”
The Queen Consort Camilla is now facing criticism too for her silence, after it emerged that she had hosted a star-studded dinner last week, with guests including Meghan’s most vocal critics, Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan.
Musician V V Brown wrote: “Queen consort Camilla just hosted a dinner for dosmetic abuse charities and then has dinner with a man who says the below @JeremyClarkson…As a person who has suffered sexual violence I am traumatised and feel sick by this. What the flying fuck!”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
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An iconic vintage train is set to pass through Greater Manchester this summer
Danny Jones
Calling all railway enthusiasts: another historic vintage locomotive is set to visit two Greater Manchester train stations this summer.
Whether you’re a passionate trainspotter or just a nearby resident curious to see what all the fuss is about, the cult favourite retro carriages will pass through the pair of Manc boroughs and surrounding areas early next month.
Despite an adjustment in the initial plans, locals will still be able to witness and board the train at multiple stops along the way in the Stockport (Reddish South station) and Rochdale areas.
So, if you consider yourself a bit of a ‘Francis Bourgeois’ figure, or a general public transport connoisseur, pay attention.
Designed by Sir Kenneth Granger and officially launched back in 1976, the fleet was named as such after the top speed of 125mph – simple as that.
Once again, it’s worth noting that the originally proposed route and stops have now been changed due to issues with Network Rail.
As a result of there currently being no standing approval to use the connection from Paignton to Bury on the East Lancs Railway line, they have been forced to change the start and terminus points.
Writing on the dedicated 125Group website, they say: “We are reviewing our options to start as close as possible to the advertised departure point, and it seems likely that Rochdale will become the start and finish point, with all other previous pick-ups retained.
“For those in the far south west, we are looking to see whether we can offer an Exeter to Paignton return – subject to availability of space. We will add this to the booking site shortly, although we may have to limit numbers sold until we are more certain of booking levels to Bristol and Exeter.”
Two 125s, including ‘The Mancunian Princess’, travelled through the SK region earlier this year.
They have reassured that the journey will still be going ahead and have simply advised those hoping to catch it to keep their eyes peeled on the website and their socials for the latest updates.
Kids’ tickets start from just a tenner, and standard passes for the full tour cost £99, with first-class the class option priced at £149 (there’s also a table for two supplement available for £50).
You can see the full map, find out more information, and grab your seats right HERE.
Bet the internet signal on this relic isn’t far off the current standard either, to be fair…
Temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre reportedly confirmed
Emily Sergeant
The temporary location for the new Number 10 North project has been announced.
You may remember that earlier last month, it was revealed that Andy Burnham had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, and now that he is, more details on this move to Manchester have been revealed.
Number 10 North is expected to be a ‘dominant driver of the UK’s economy’ once it’s officially up and running, Government ministers say.
According to BBC News reports, civil servants working for Government departments based in London have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move to the northern base in Manchester, which is said to be being overseen by cabinet minister and ally of Andy Burnham, Louise Haigh.
The temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre has reportedly been confirmed / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Haigh – who is the first secretary of state – has reportedly been asked, according to the BBC, to have been asked to lead a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC), which will give her control of key decision-making bodies across Government.
The OPMC will include No 10 and No 10 North, as well as other teams within the Cabinet Office.
It is understood, according to the same BBC reports, that the initial temporary location of No 10 North will be Heron House, just off Albert Square in central Manchester, which is the same building that currently houses offices for the intelligence service GCHQ, and where eyewitnesses have spotted police officers guarding in recent days.
🚨 NEW: No 10 North will temporarily be based at Heron House in central Manchester
Whitehall civil servants have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move pic.twitter.com/BVyUkNfxRr
The longer-term base for Number 10 North, however, is expected to be at the new Government ‘Digital Campus’, which is currently under construction in the Ancoats and is not due for completion until 2032.
Alongside Whitehall officials who are willing to move to Manchester, it is also likely there will be a significant movement of staff from Burnham’s former mayoral team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the BBC reports.
You can discover more about the plans for Number 10 North here.