Jeremy Clarkson has not been axed as host from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, ITV bosses confirm.
The broadcaster said “for the avoidance of doubt, neither Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? nor Jeremy Clarkson have been cancelled” after reports surfaced regarding his exit from the show. Clarkson's future in the show came into question following his heavily criticised column in The Sun newspaper about Meghan Markle.
In the column, Clarkson wrote that he was "dreaming of the day when [Meghan] is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while crowds chant, 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her".
The column was ultimately deleted and both The Sun and the former Top Gear host apologised after widespread backlash.
ITV have now confirmed that rumours over Clarkson being axed from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? were false and they are committed to honouring their contract with the controversial star.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for ITV said: “As we have said for several weeks, ITV is contractually committed to a further series of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (which has now been recorded.) There are no further commissioning commitments beyond that currently as is typical with such shows where we make commissioning decisions on a series by series basis.“
“Therefore for the avoidance of doubt neither Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? nor Jeremy Clarkson have been cancelled.”
Clarkson, who inherited the hosting gig from Chris Tarrant in 2018, later tweeted: “So many kind messages about today’s reports. But relax. Lisa and I have not split up and I have not been sacked as host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”
TV boss Kevin Lygo previously said Clarkson’s comments about Meghan were “awful”, but “at the moment” the broadcaster plans to keep him as host of the popular quiz show.
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