Jeremy Clarkson 's response to the backlash surrounding his controversial column on Meghan Markle has been slammed as 'pathetic'.
The former Top Gear host said he was “horrified to have caused so much hurt” and “shall be more careful in future” after facing a backlash over comments he made in The Sun newspaper column about how he “hated” the Duchess of Sussex.
After receiving over 6,000 IPSO complaints and after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak weighed in on the drama, Clarkson took to Twitter to address his column - however, his 'sad excuse' for an apology has been further condemned by outraged social media users.
Breaking his silence on the furore, Jeremy tweeted: "Oh dear. I’ve rather put my foot in it.
"In a column I wrote about Meghan, I made a clumsy reference to a scene in Game of Thrones and this has gone down badly with a great many people. I’m horrified to have caused so much hurt and I shall be more careful in future."
Despite breaking his silence on the controversy, Twitter users have once again hit out at Clarkson over his 'pathetic' apology as many have slammed the presenter for not using the word 'sorry' anywhere while addressing the backlash.
"There's a serious lack of apology here. What was that? He is just saving his own back," one fumed.
"Most pathetic apology in history. Using the words 'oh dear' in response to such hateful and vengeful words. It's not acceptable," another fumed.
"What a sorry excuse for an apology and a sorry excuse for a man. To think that this man, this man who can spout such hatred, has a daughter and a wife. He has such a lack of respect for women that he couldn't even give a proper apology after such a disgusting and truly vile article. Jeremy Clarkson needs to be cancelled once and for all," someone else raged.
Another Twitter user shared: "The Game of Thrones reference was indeed clumsy and anyone who remembers the scene will agree how very upsetting and disturbing it was. Saying you hated her more than a child murderer was the part that was most chilling. No matter what you think of Meghan, she doesn’t deserve that."
"Not good enough. It was abusive, the whole column is. You should resign and make a significant donation to Women's Aid," another unimpressed Royal fan declared.
"You don't get to give a pretend apology and walk away from this. You don't define this narrative anymore," someone else fumed.
Clarkson, 62, revealed he fantasises about people 'throwing excrement' at Meghan Markle after watching the Sussex's Netflix series.
The TV star has sent shockwaves after writing in the column that he wants the Duchess of Sussex to be 'paraded naked through the streets' and 'dreams of people throwing lumps of excrement at her'.
He also wrote that he 'hated Meghan on a cellular level' in the explosive article published in The Sun newspaper on Friday.
To illustrate how much he dislikes Meghan, Jeremy compared his disdain for her to his feelings towards SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon and serial killer Rose West - adding that she tops the list.
"Meghan, though, is a different story. I hate her. Not like I hate Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level," the former Top Gear host penned.
In the article, Clarkson also wrote that he loathed Meghan 'on a cellular level'.
He said he was "dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her”.
“Everyone who’s my age thinks the same way," he added.
It comes after the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has received more than 6,000 complaints over an article written by Jeremy Clarkson about the Duchess of Sussex.
A spokesman for the media watchdog has now said the complaints are being assessed in accordance with its standard procedure, and that the number was subject to change.
The spokesman added that IPSO had received a total of 14,355 complaints in 2021.
Clarkson has been widely slammed for his cruel remarks, which came off the back of the final three episodes of Harry and Meghan airing on Netflix.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has now weighed in on the controversy.
The Prime Minister said that the UK is not a racist country, when asked about comments Jeremy Clarkson made in the newspaper column about the Duchess of Sussex, but said that 'language matters'.
He said: “I think for everyone in public life, language matters. You asked about racism. Now, I’ve seen some of the things that have been said.
“I absolutely don’t believe that Britain is a racist country. And I’d hope that as our nation’s first British Asian Prime Minister when I say that it carries some weight.
“You know, I’m really proud of our country, its culture, its resilience, its beauty. And actually, it’s an enormous privilege to champion Britain and indeed, its institutions like the monarchy when I’m out and about on the world stage as I am here today.”
On Sunday, Clarkson's own daughter Emily said: "I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything my dad wrote about Meghan Markle."
Emily further condemned her father's 'misogyny' as she added: "My views are and have always been clear when it comes to misogyny, bullying and the treatment of women by the media. I remain standing in support of those targeted with online hatred."
As well as Top Gear, Clarkson is known for his Amazon motoring show, The Grand Tour, which he presents alongside Richard Hammond and James May, as well as ITV ’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Amazon, ITV and The Sun have all been approached for comment.
The Mirror has reached out to Jeremy Clarkson's representatives for comment.
