Media News
BBC apologises over Top Gear remark
Wednesday 7 March 2007
Clarkson made the remark after Hammond returned to the show following his recovery from a "significant brain injury", which he suffered when the dragster he was driving crashed at a speed of over 280 miles per hour.
Speaking to Hammond, Clarkson said: "Are you a mental?", while his co-host James May offered Hammond a tissue in case he "dribbled".
Brain injury charity Headway said that it was inundated with complaints after the show was aired.
A Headway source said: "We made a formal complaint to the BBC and Ofcom following the programme after hearing from scores of deeply offended brain injury survivors, carers and the people who work with them."
The charity also published the response received from the BBC. The letter said: "'The Top Gear' team accept that by using the term 'a mental' we caused offence to some members of our audience and would like to apologise for doing so."
In response to earlier comments, the BBC had initially said: "'Top Gear' viewers are aware of the playful nature of the programme and the boyish rapport that exists between the programme's presenters. It's something viewers really enjoy."
"'Top Gear' did not want to be gushing and sentimental in welcoming Richard back to the show after his accident, so the term 'mental' was used in a playful manner and it was directed solely at Richard and no-one else."
"We acknowledge that not everyone enjoys the banter between the three presenters but there was no intent to cause any offence."
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