Clarkson: For once, we did nothing wrong

Jeremy Clarkson has described the moment the Top Gear cast and crew were attacked by an angry crowd in Argentina as “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been involved in”.

Clarkson: For once, we did nothing wrong

Jeremy Clarkson has described the moment the Top Gear cast and crew were attacked by an angry crowd in Argentina as “the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been involved in”.

He denied he or the team were in any way at fault for the furore.

The star and his crew on the BBC show had to abandon their cars at the roadside as they were pelted with stones.

Trouble erupted after it emerged the team were using a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL, which some people suggested could refer to the Falklands conflict of 1982.

Mr Clarkson told The Sun the mob shouted “burn their cars” and tried to attack them with pickaxe handles.

He said: “I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan, but this was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been involved in. There were hundreds of them. They were hurling rocks and bricks at our cars.

“This is not just some kind of jolly Top Gear jape – this was deadly serious.”

Clarkson said someone could have been killed during the incident after returning to the UK this morning.

In a series of Tweets, he said: “All TG crew now safely out of Argentina. I just got back to UK. The number plate WAS a coincidence. When it was pointed out to us, we changed it.

“And these war veterans we upset. Mostly they were in their 20s. Do the maths. They threw us out for the political capital. Thousands chased crew to border. Someone could have been killed.

“This was not a jolly jape that went awry. For once, we did nothing wrong.”

BBC bosses have said the number plate was merely a coincidence and was not chosen deliberately, but it led to protests in Argentina, including a demonstration by a group of war veterans outside the hotel used by the show team.

A story about their visit in the Patagonian daily newspaper Diario Jornada is headlined: “Top Gear is filming in Patagonia and there’s controversy.”

The paper says: “Even though the BBC authorities asked the popular presenter Jeremy Clarkson to behave himself during his time in Argentina, he chose to use the provocative number plate H982 FKL on his Porsche, in reference to 1982 Falklands (Malvinas).”

But Mr Clarkson said: “We knew absolutely nothing about the number plate, it was just an unbelievable coincidence.”

This position has been echoed by Top Gear and the BBC.

The executive producer of Top Gear, Andy Wilman, said: “Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original, is completely untrue.”

A BBC spokesman said: “We’re pleased the team is safe and would like to thank all of those who have helped. As the executive producer has made clear, the number plate issue is a very unfortunate coincidence.”

The team from the BBC2 show were in South America filming a special on a remote highway passing through Chile and Argentina.

The programme has already run into problems this year, with one edition found to be in breach of Ofcom’s broadcasting code for the use of a racially offensive term during a two-part special filmed in Burma, following a complaint from a viewer.

And presenter Jeremy Clarkson apologised after unbroadcast footage emerged in which he appeared to use the n-word, although he denied actually saying it.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143 Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143
Andrew Flintoff File Photos Andrew Flintoff’s BBC return confirmed following Top Gear crash
Glastonbury Festival 2007 - Worthy Farm - Pilton, Somerset Song lyrics have become angrier since the 80s, study shows
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited