Jeremy Clarkson’s Meghan Markle column prompts thousands of complaints

Clarkson has been widely condemned for his ‘vile and disgusting’ remarks about the Duchess of Sussex

Ipso has received thousands of complaints over Jeremy Clarkson’s column about Meghan Markle in The Sun.

Speaking to BBC News, a representative for Ipso – the independent press standards organisation – said that the complaints are being assessed in accordance with its standard procedure.

In an op-ed for The Sun, published on Friday (16 December), Clarkson, 62, wrote that he despises the Duchess of Sussex on “a cellular level”.

He continued by writing that he dreams of the day Markle is made to parade naked through Britain while the crowd chants “shame” and throws “excrement” at her.

The former Top Gear presenter claimed that “everyone who’s my age thinks the same way”.

His comments have sparked widespread backlash. Public figures including John Bishop, Carol Voderman, Philip Pullman and his daughter Emily have expressed their horror at Clarkson’s rant.

Bishop tweeted that Clarkson’s remarks are a “blatant appeal to incite humiliation and violence on a woman”.

Meanwhile, Voderman added: “Not on any level, in any circumstance, is it OK to write this stuff about any woman and absolutely NO to ‘everyone who’s my age thinks the same’.”

(AFP/Getty/PA)

BBC Live presenter Rachel Burden tweeted: “So... there’s Jeremy Clarkson writing what he did. And then the editor deciding to publish it.”

The TV presenter’s daughter, podcast host Emily Clarkson, also spoke out against her father’s comments.

“I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything that my dad wrote about Meghan Markle and I remain standing in support of those that are targeted with online hatred,” wrote Emily in a lengthy Instagram post.

Clarkson’s op-ed followed after Netflix’s documentary series Harry and Meghan, the final episodes of which were released on Thursday (15 December).

In the series, Harry and Meghan opened up about their time as senior royals in the UK and their decision to step down from their duties.

Harry and Meghan (Netflix)

The six-part docuseries included a number of revelations. In episode five, Harry claimed that he was left “terrified” after the Prince of Wales screamed at him during a Sandringham meeting with the late Queen to discuss the Megxit crisis.

You can find the six biggest talking points from the first three episodes here, and the six biggest talking points from the final three episodes here.