Jeremy Clarkson's video statement: 'I'm begging for forgiveness'

The TV presenter is being accused of using the n-word in an unaired clip of Top Gear.

16:33 02 May 2014

Jeremy Clarkson, while making clear that he doesn't usually respond to newspaper allegations, is making an exemption to 'beg for forgiveness' in relation to the recent racial slur controversy. 

 

In the video that was posted by The Mirror, Clarkson is purported to have uttered a derogerator word while reciting an old children’s nursery rhyme saying: “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe… Catch a n***ger by his toe.” 

 

Trying to prove the authenticity of the video, The Mirror claimed that it worked with audio forensic experts to look into the video which was taken from unseen takes from the third episode of series 19, aired in February 2013. 

 

In his video statement posted on his Twitter page, Clarkson said: "When I viewed this footage several weeks later I realised that in one of the mumbled versions if you listened very carefully with the sound turned up it did appear that I'd actually used the word I was trying to obscure. 

 

"I was mortified by this, horrified by this. It is a word I loathe."

 

"Please be assured that I did everything in my power to not use that word, and I'm sitting here begging your forgiveness for the fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough."

 

The BBC released a statement: "Jeremy Clarkson has set out the background to this regrettable episode. We have made it absolutely clear to him the standards the BBC expects on air and off.

 

"We have left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this." 

 

You can catch Clarkson's video response HERE.