Former Top Gear presenter Steve Berry has pulled no punches in a candid interview about his time working with Jeremy Clarkson, branding the controversial host an "egotist" who struggled to collaborate with others.
Berry, who co-presented the BBC's iconic motoring show in the early 2000s, revealed the behind-the-scenes tensions that made working with Clarkson a challenge. "He's very much his own person," Berry explained. "That ego doesn't always make for the easiest working relationship."
The Clash of Personalities
According to Berry, their differing approaches to television production created constant friction. While Clarkson favoured his signature brash style, Berry preferred a more measured presentation. "We had fundamentally different ideas about what made good television," he admitted.
A Show Divided
The tension wasn't just between the two presenters. Berry claims the entire production team became divided along personality lines, with some staffers firmly in Clarkson's camp while others aligned with Berry's more collaborative approach.
"When you've got someone who dominates proceedings so completely, it creates an 'us versus them' mentality," Berry revealed. "That's not healthy for any production."
The Aftermath
Despite their professional differences, Berry acknowledges Clarkson's undeniable impact on Top Gear's success. "You can't argue with the results," he conceded. "But at what cost to team morale?"
Berry's revelations come years after his departure from the show, which went on to become a global phenomenon under Clarkson's leadership before the infamous "fracas" that led to his 2015 dismissal.
When asked if he'd ever work with Clarkson again, Berry's response was telling: "Life's too short for that kind of stress."
