What Jeremy Clarkson said about Meghan Markle: 7 of the TV presenter’s controversial comments

‘I hate her on a cellular level,’ Clarkson has said of Markle

Jeremy Clarkson has apologised for his controversial comments about Meghan Markle, calling his statement a “mea culpa with bells on”.

The journalist and former Top Gear presenter caused uproar after writing that he dreamt of the day when Meghan was “made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her.”

In his column for The Sun, he also said he hated Markle on a “cellular level”.

Carol Vorderman, John Bishop, and Kathy Burke were among the celebrities to condemn Clarkson’s comments on Twitter.

The Grand Tour presenter’s daughter Emily also spoke out against her father.

“I want to make it clear that I stand against everything my father wrote about Meghan Markle,” she wrote on Instagram. “I remain standing in support of those that are targeted with online hatred”.

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex pointed out in their response to Clarkson’s apology, this was far from the first time he has hit out at Markle. He has even publicly sided with his infamous foe Piers Morgan on the topic of the Sussexes.

“Unless each of his other pieces were also written ‘in a hurry’, as he states, it is clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate,” the couple said in a joint statement.

Over the past two years, Clarkson has continued to give Markle the attention he has claimed she “craves so desperately” through a stream of online criticism and newspaper columns.

Here are Clarkson’s most controversial comments about Markle, whichcover everything from climate change and polar bears to calling Markle a “silly little cable TV actress”.

Clarkson says Harry and Meghan’s Netflix shows will be “drivel” (September 2020)

When discussing the Sussex’s reported £100 million Netflix deal in 2020, which would see them produce shows that would “inform but also give hope,” Clarkson told The Sun: “They will be drivel.

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“£100 million to make shows and films that inform and give hope? Kill me.”

“I’d be much better making their programmes,” he continued, “as I don’t give a s*** about anything they give a s*** about. Just awful.”

Markle’s climate change pleas make Clarkson want to “shoot a polar bear” (October 2020)

Meghan Markle and Jeremy Clarkson (Images from Getty)

In another column for The Sun, Clarkson said that “serious people” talking about climate change, such as Markle and Greta Thunberg, have made matters “worse”.

He said: "When Meghan Markle told me to leave the car at home, I wanted to shoot a polar bear in the middle of its face.”

Accuses Markle of “simpering victimhood” (March 2021)

In yet another of his columns, Clarkson claimed that Markle is “much revered by the young and the stupid who believe that her brand of simpering victimhood will one day bring down the monarchy.

“But it won’t,” he added.

Calls Markle a “silly little cable TV actress” (March 2021)

Clarkson continued his rant about Markle by explaining that the royal family has endured “beheadings, affairs, abdications”.

“If the British monarchy can soldier on through that,” the presenter said, “I’m fairly sure it’ll be able to weather the banal musings of a silly little cable TV actress.”

“Meghan is toast” (March 2021)

(Getty Images)

Following Piers Morgan’s own controversial comments over Markle which led to his storming out of an episode of Good Morning Britain, Clarkson called Markle “toast”.

“Trust me on this one. Markle’s toast, and within five years, I suspect she’ll be posing for photographs, on her own outside the Taj Mahal or sitting on the back of a playboy’s yacht in the Med.

“Poor old Piers will realise that he lost his job over absolutely nothing at all.”

“Her pants were on fire!” (April 2021)

During a segment on his ITV show It’s Clarkson On TV, Clarkson played a clip from The Sussex’s 2021 interview with Oprah.

Clarkson said: "Meghan Markle was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey... there was a moment where Meghan Markle seemed– how can I put this politely– break wind."

He continued on to say: “Sorry can we just hear that again because it really does sound like Piers Morgan had a point, her pants really were on fire!"

Wishes everyone “except Meghan Markle” a nice Christmas (December 2022)

Following his controversial comments about Markle this December, Clarkson mentioned her in his final column of the year for The Times.

He referred to the Christmas holidays and told readers: "I hope yours is happy too and that all of you (except Meghan Markle) have a great break. See you on the flip side."