Sean Lock and Jeremy Clarkson
(Picture: Getty/ITV)Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? viewers were left unimpressed last night after Jeremy Clarkson made a joke about the late comedian Sean Lock.
On an episode of the show featuring celebrity contestants playing for charity, which was shown on TV yesterday, Clarkson made the joke while explaining the rules of the ITV show to contestant Jimmy Carr.
He said: “You’ve got four life lines, 50/50, you’ve got two phone a friends because you’ve got no audience because of Covid...”
Carr interjected and joked: “Oh I thought that was because people preferred Tarrant” (he was referring to the previous host, Chris Tarrant).
As the crew gasped, the comedian asked: “What?!”
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Clarkson replied: “That was because they were promised Sean Lock!”
Comedian Lock sadly died in August of lung cancer. It is not clear whether the episode was filmed before or after his death and indy100 has contacted ITV to find out.
Either way, some people on social media found it pretty tasteless, while others said that, if the joke had been made before Lock’s death, that it should have been edited out:
Absolute dickhead Jeremy Clarkson mentioning Sean Lock should have been edited out #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire
— maria wafer (@mariahelenakate) November 17, 2021
Was it filmed before or after he passed away? Maybe Sean would find it funny because of his sense of humour but seems a bit insensitive to say Sean Lock should have been there instead, when he's dead. Don't bother calling me a snowflake, it's just a comment. #wwtbam
— Ryan 😁 (@MonaghanCalum) November 17, 2021
Well done @ITV. It’s very sensitive of you to include a joke about the late Sean Lock not being able to appear on ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ 🙄@jimmycarr @JeremyClarkson #wwtbam #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire
— James (@jamesash89) November 17, 2021
Though others said Lock - who was known for his dark sense of humour - would have found it funny.
Jimmy knew him well. He knew Sean would find it funny. Now stop crying about it.
— Swalk (@Samanth22356123) November 17, 2021
Pretty sure Sean would have wanted it left in 👍🏻
— Antony Stott (@Ant_Stott) November 17, 2021
It is not the first time Clarkson has ruffled feathers in recent weeks. Recently, he sparked a backlash after he penned column in the Sunday Times criticising Greta Thunberg and declaring she needs a “smacked bottom”.
