Jeremy Clarkson has launched a scathing attack on the BAFTA Awards, claiming he is 'not fooled' by the nominations he has received over the years. The 65-year-old presenter, who was nominated three times during his tenure on Top Gear but never won, described the certificates as a 'wall of failure' in his office.
Writing in his Sunday Times column, Clarkson joked that 'you don’t win at the awards by driving round corners too quickly while criticising Sir Keir Starmer'. He added that nominations are handed out 'in the same way that you leave a 5p tip for a waiter who’s been slovenly and useless'.
The former Grand Tour host also poked fun at the BBC, his former employer, after the ceremony drew criticism for airing a racial slur. John Davidson, whose life with Tourette’s syndrome inspired the film I Swear, shouted a slur as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. The BBC has since apologised.
Clarkson said he 'wished he’d been there' for the moment, despite claiming he does not usually attend the ceremony. He went on to say he would 'give my left n*****k' to have been in the BBC editing room as they discussed the transmission. The incident came as part of an acceptance speech that included 'Free Palestine' was edited out of the broadcast.
At the NAACP Image Awards, Delroy Lindo praised the support he received after the BAFTA incident, calling it 'a classic case of something that could’ve been very negative becoming very positive'.
