Who Wants To Be Millionaire?
has apparently been fired as a result of Jeremy Clarkson’s deplorable remarks regarding Meghan Markle.
Following its publication, the column—in which the broadcaster claimed to have dreamt of seeing Markle paraded through British towns and humiliated in front of the public—became Ipso’s most complained-about story, garnering more than 25,100 complaints.
In a later apology, Clarkson called his words “disgraceful” and expressed his “deep regret” for the article.
The piece was taken off from the internet after The Sun apologized and expressed remorse over its publishing.
It had previously been said that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? would continue, with head of ITV Carlyn McCall, stressing last month that Clarkson’s views were ‘in no way endorsed’ by the broadcaster, while the network’s boss Kevin Lygo added: ‘I would say what he writes in a newspaper column… We have no control over what he says.’
However, Clarkson’s time on the show has now come to an end.
McCall confirmed to Variety that the upcoming season of the game show will be Clarkson’s last as host.
(Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
‘We have a contract. We’re contracted to this [season], so we will do that,’ she said.
‘And then we have no future commitments. And we haven’t made any statements about that.’
In Clarkson’s original article, he said that he hated the Duchess of Sussex on a ‘cellular level’.
‘At night, I’m unable to sleep as I lie there, grinding my teeth and 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,’ he wrote at the time.
Following widespread backlash, the 62-year-old said that he emailed Markle and Prince Harry to apologise on Christmas Day.
‘I really am sorry. All the way from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head. This is me putting my hands up. Its a mea culpa with bells on,’ he said in his lengthy statement.
He also added: ‘I was mortified and so was everyone else. My phone went mad. Very close friends were furious. Even my own daughter took to Instagram to denounce me.’
In response, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess said: ‘On December 25, 2022, Mr Clarkson wrote solely to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. The contents of this correspondence were marked Private and Confidential.’
They continued: ‘While a new public apology has been issued today by Mr Clarkson, what remains to be addressed is his long standing pattern of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny.’
A spokesperson for ITV told Metro.co.uk: ‘As we have said before, ITV has a further series of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contractually commissioned {which has now recorded}, and no further commissioning commitments beyond that currently’.