According to reports, Jeremy Clarkson is set to receive a second chance from ITV executives and will retain his position as the host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
This decision follows a wave of backlash stemming from comments made by the 66-year-old about Meghan Markle. Clarkson faced heavy criticism after expressing his thoughts about the Duchess, stating that he envisioned her being paraded through British towns and publicly shamed.
His column became the subject of more than 25,100 complaints to Ipso, making it their most-complained about article. Despite the controversial remarks, Clarkson later issued a public apology, acknowledging his language as ‘disgraceful’ and expressing deep remorse.
Initial reports suggested Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? had been canceled due to the controversy, but a recent statement from a source indicates Clarkson has been given a lifeline.
Insiders revealed that Clarkson will continue as the show’s presenter as the production company behind the quiz show, Stellify, is set to proceed with creating more episodes.
A source shared with The Mirror: ‘Clarkson made a big mistake with his column, but unusually for him, he did apologize wholeheartedly afterwards. This worked in his favor compared to someone like Piers Morgan who refused to backtrack on his remarks about Meghan on GMB.’
Morgan stepped down from Good Morning Britain in March 2021 after a heated exchange about Meghan with weather presenter Alex Beresford.
The insider continued to say that ITV has been observing the public response to new episodes of Millionaire with Clarkson, and based on the feedback so far, they have decided to continue with him as the host. Clarkson is being seen as getting a second chance, with a clear message that another misstep may not be tolerated.
In a statement to Metro.co.uk, an ITV spokesperson mentioned that there are new episodes of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire scheduled for later this year, adding that further commissioning decisions are pending.
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s director of television, emphasized the importance of waiting until the conclusion of the current series to review Clarkson’s performance and make a decision on his future as the host.
‘We’re very pleased with how it’s doing now, but there are something like another 8/9 episodes to go out. Some continuing now, some later in the year, then we’ll take a view at that point. We’re delighted with the performance so far,’ Lygo added.
Clarkson began hosting the show in 2018, taking over from Chris Tarrant.
In his original article where he mentioned his controversial thoughts about Meghan, the piece was eventually removed by The Sun with an official apology issued, expressing regret over its publication. Clarkson had expressed strong negative feelings towards the Duchess, which drew widespread criticism.
Responding to the backlash, Clarkson reached out to Meghan and Prince Harry on Christmas Day to offer a sincere apology, acknowledging his mistake and expressing deep regret.
He also stated: ‘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 a statement, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess highlighted the need for Clarkson to address his history of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? airs on ITV and is available to watch on ITVX.