Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour are still scheduled to air this year, but Amazon Prime Video may sever connections with the TV host in response to the column’s outrage. It follows Meghan and Harry’s statement in which they once again rejected Clarkson’s apologies.
According to sources, Amazon Prime Video is poised to sever connections with Jeremy Clarkson following the remarks he made about the Duchess of Sussex in a newspaper column.
Clarkson has collaborated with the streaming service since 2015, delivering blockbuster shows The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm.
The second season of Clarkson’s Farm will premiere as scheduled in February, while the next season of The Grand Tour will premiere later in 2023.
However, as initially reported by the US entertainment website Variety, it is believed that Amazon could cease working with the celebrity after the seasons of the already-commissioned projects.
It follows Harry and Meghan’s rejection of Clarkson’s apology for his column in The Sun in which he declared he “hated” the duchess, claiming it was part of “a series of pieces shared in hatred.”
Amazon may fire host over Meghan column row
Clarkson stated in a December column that he was “dreaming of the day when [Meghan] is ordered to march naked through the streets of every town in Britain while people cry ‘Shame!’ and hurl feces at her.”
Clarkson’s daughter Emily, along with numerous others, spoke out against him in response to his words.
Clarkson and The Sun issued public apologies as anger escalated, but Harry and Meghan dismissed the newspaper’s apology as a “PR gimmick.”
On Monday, a virtual press event to promote Clarkson’s Farm was canceled after the star posted another apology on Instagram and said he had personally apologized to Harry and Meghan through email on Christmas Day.
However, a spokesman for the Sussexes stated that the couple once again rejected his apologies and did not think the piece to be a unique instance of carelessness.
In addition, they stated that Clarkson “wrote exclusively to Prince Harry.”
According to sources at Variety, Amazon will no longer collaborate with Clarkson beyond the currently airing seasons of The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm, meaning the celebrity will not feature on shows on the Prime Video platform after 2024, or possibly early 2025.
Clarkson, who also hosts Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? on ITV, said in his most recent apologies that both broadcasters were “incandescent” regarding his piece.
What did Clarkson write?
The celebrity’s column received the most complaints ever and was withdrawn from The Sun’s website at his request, with the publisher extending an apology.
Clarkson wrote, “I dislike her.” “I don’t detest Nicola Sturgeon or Rose West. I abhor her on a biochemical level.”
He claimed that he lies awake at night “dreaming of the day when she is made to march nude through the streets of every town in Britain as people cry ‘Shame!’ and throw feces at her,” saying that “everyone my age feels the same way.”
“What makes me despair, however, is that younger people, particularly females, find her to be very cool.”
Clarkson’s explanation
Clarkson elaborated on his initial apologies and denied being sexist or misogynistic in his most recent statement.
“At first, it was a gentle rumbling, and I disregarded it,” he wrote on Instagram, referring to the criticism of his piece. However, the rumble grew louder. So I purchased a copy of The Sun to determine the source of all the excitement.
“I suppose we’ve all been there. In that precise instant when we realize we’ve made a major error. You are simultaneously hot and chilled. Your head is pounding. And you are ill. I was astounded by what I was reading. Had I spoken it? It was dreadful.
“I knew instantly what had transpired. I was considering a scenario from Game Of Thrones, but I neglected to mention this. Therefore, it appeared as though I was genuinely requesting that Meghan be subjected to a barrage of repulsive violence.
“I was furious with myself because, during all those turbulent days on Top Gear, when I was accused of all sorts of things, sexism was rarely the accusation.
“We never used ‘women cannot park’ jokes, for example. Or implied that only men drove powerful vehicles. And I was ecstatic when Jodie Kidd and Ellen MacArthur achieved the quickest laps ever in our little car. I am not a sexist individual, and I condemn violence toward women. And yet, I appeared to be pushing for this position.
My phone went nuts
“I was humiliated, as were all others. My phone went nuts. Extremely close pals were enraged. Even my daughter denounced me on Instagram.”
Clarkson continued, “I truly apologize. From the soles of my feet to the hair follicles on my head. This is my hand being raised. It’s an apology with bells attached.
“Normally, I read my writing to someone else before filing, but I was home alone and in a rush on that fateful day. So when I was done, I simply hit the submit button. The following day, when the column appeared, the landmine exploded.
“Therefore, I emailed Harry and Meghan in California on Christmas morning to extend my apologies to them. I also sent an apology letter to everyone I work with.” I stated that I was perplexed by what had been said on television. But that the language I had used in my column was shameful and I was deeply sorry.”
