Alex Hall, the ex-wife of TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, has told MPs and peers that she was 'terrified' when he obtained an injunction preventing her from discussing an alleged affair. Hall, who had been planning to write a book, was ordered not to talk about a renewed relationship she claimed to have had with the re-married star.
Appearing before Parliament's Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions, Hall said she had intended to write 'a sort of witty self-help book' about the effects of a relationship with a celebrity. She stated that the work would not have been detrimental to Clarkson's career, but he 'didn't want any acknowledgement that he had an ex-wife'.
Hall described receiving the injunction via text message, saying: 'I had no idea what to do with this injunction. It was terrifying.' She said she had to borrow £5,000 for initial legal advice and had to give up work for three months to deal with the order.
Clarkson, who presents BBC's Top Gear, lifted the injunction in October, calling it 'expensive and pointless'. The case has been cited in the committee's review of privacy laws, with a report expected next month.
