Motormouth Clarkson in c-word insult to Brown

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was at the centre of a new row about insulting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today.

He used the c-word to describe Gordon Brown in not-for-broadcast comments during the recording of this week’s show.

It is understood that it led to Clarkson – who had to apologise to Mr Brown after calling him a “one-eyed Scottish idiot” earlier this year – being confronted by BBC2 controller Janice Hadlow at the recording.

The pair had a “conversation” after the incident on Wednesday, but she did not ask the presenter to apologise.

According to the Guardian, an eyewitness said Clarkson, 49, was talking about government policy and said: “The reason you can’t do that is because Gordon Brown is a c***.”

Several members of the audience reportedly laughed after the comment.

The BBC said in a statement: “Janice went to watch a recording of Top Gear as it is BBC2’s top-rated programme, and as controller of BBC2, she holds both the programme and Jeremy in high regard.

“After the recording, she and Jeremy had a discussion about the programme as controllers and presenters often do.”

The matter has not been referred to the BBC Trust or the director general, a BBC spokesman added.

Clarkson attracted widespread criticism after his comments in February about the Prime Minister having one eye.

He told a group of Australian journalists: “In England we have this one-eyed Scottish idiot, the one-eyed Scottish man, he keeps telling us everything’s fine and he’s saved the world and we know he’s lying, but he’s smooth at telling us.”

He was later forced to issue a statement saying: “In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the Prime Minister’s personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I apologise.”

The BBC took no further action against Clarkson.

On another occasion last November, Top Gear viewers complained when he made a joke about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes.