A Jeremy Clarkson column in the Sun about Meghan Markle, the duchess of Sussex, has provoked outcry online, with social media users labelling it “vile”, “horrific” and “abusive”.
In an article for the newpaper published on Friday, Clarkson wrote that he loathed Meghan “on a cellular level”. He said he was “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 added: “Everyone who’s my age thinks the same way.”
The comments have drawn widespread condemnation. The comedian John Bishop tweeted that the remarks were a “blatant appeal to incite humiliation and violence on a woman”.
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The presenter Carol Vorderman tweeted: “NO, Jeremy Clarkson. 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’.”
The author Philip Pullman wrote: “That Jeremy Clarkson can write things like that, and publish them unashamed, tells us all we need to know about the way Rupert Murdoch has poisoned and rotted our public life.”
Clarkson’s daughter Emily, who hosts the Should I Delete That? podcast, was praised by many on social media for an Instagram post that said: “I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything my dad said about Meghan Markle and I remain standing in support of those who are targeted with online hatred.”
The comedian Dom Joly said he was “literally gobsmacked” at Clarkson’s “utterly vile and disgusting comments”. He added: “What is it about these type of men that triggers them so?”
His fellow comic Jason Manford tweeted a photo of an excerpt from the article with the caption: “If you can defend Clarkson in this, then please don’t reply to me, just unfollow and block and move on. We are never going to agree.”
Meanwhile, the British social activist and Five Foundation chief executive, Nimco Ali, wrote: “A young Black woman opens up about her struggle with suicidal thoughts as a result of the abuse she got from the media, and this is how some men in the media react. This is absolutely horrific.”
The radio DJ and TV host Edith Bowman wrote on Twitter: “How is someone able to print such abusive comments in an actual newspaper?”
Harry and Meghan recently opened up about life as senior royals in the UK and their decision to step down from their duties in a six-part Netflix docuseries. The final instalments of the show were released on Thursday.
The Sun has been contacted for comment. – Guardian
