BBC presenter apologises for insulting Gordon Brown
February 7th, 2009 - 3:16 am ICT by IANS
London, Feb 7 (DPA) A top British TV presenter has apologised for calling Prime Minister Gordon Brown a “one-eyed Scottish idiot” - in a reference to Brown’s loss of sight in one eye as a teenager.Jeremy Clarkson, a highly-paid presenter of the BBC’s motoring programme Top Gear, made the comment to journalists in Sydney, Australia, when he was talking about the economy.
“In the heat of the moment I made a remark about the prime minister’s personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I apologise,” he said Friday.
The BBC said it noted Clarkson’s apology for the comments and would be taking no further action.
However, public figures reacted angrily to the presenter’s remarks, which were Friday called “unforgivable” by Gordon Banks, a member of parliament of Brown’s ruling Labour Party.
The Royal National Institute for Blind People called the comment offensive. “Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable,” said chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander.
Brown’s office said Clarkson was “entitled to his own interpretation of the economic circumstances”.
Brown, 57, lost the sight of his left eye when he was kicked in the head during a rugby match when he was 16.
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Tags: alexander brown, anne alexander, apologises, british tv, economic circumstances, gordon banks, gordon brown, heat of the moment, incompetence, jeremy clarkson, labour party, left eye, lesley anne, london feb, member of parliament, personal appearance, prime minister gordon brown, sydney australia, top gear, tv presenter
