24 February 2024 , 20:00
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Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he is banned from India, as well as two other countries.
The former Top Gear host caused quite the stir when he headed to India alongside Richard Hammond and James May. So much so, he says he is now no longer allowed back in the country. The presenter now stars in Amazon Prime Video's The Grand Tour as well as own show Clarkson's Farm.
He is still able to travel the world with Richard and James, yet has to be selective of where they decide to film. During a Eurocrash The Grand Tour special, Jeremy sat with his co-stars as they observed a world map. They were plotting their route when Jeremy quipped: "We'd have to go through India."
James asked: "Is that a problem?", to which he replied: "Yeah I'm banned from India." Jeremy hasn't shared the exact reason why he is banned from the country. However, he did film there in 2011 for the Top Gear Christmas special. It saw the trio face difficult and hilarious challenges during their stint in India.
During the episode, Jeremy made a series of inappropriate digs about the local food, toilets, clothes and trains. He was filmed driving a Jaguar with a toilet fitted into the boot. Jeremy declared: "This is perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the trots." They were then tasked with creating an ecological car.
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Jeremy reminded his co-stars James and Richard that he's banned from India (Amazon)Jeremy decided to drive a vehicle that was made out of cow flesh and bones - an animal which is sacred in Indian culture. Following the episode, the Indian high commission lodged a formal complaint with the BBC over Jeremy's "tasteless" antics. He was also filmed referring to the trip as a UK "trade mission" to India.
Speaking on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Jeremy revealed India isn't the only country he is banned from. A contestant asked the host for help regarding a questions about Indian culture. Jeremy replied: "But weirdly I’m actually banned from India...I really am, I tried to go there last year and was refused a visa. So that’s Turkey, Argentina…not that anybody would want to go back there and India.” Jeremy joined The Grand Tour in 2016 in the wake of their move from the BBC.
He was dropped from Top Gear following a reported incident during filming where he'd punched a producer over a row on set, prompting Hammond and May to leave the show. The trio embark on a journey across the world in The Grand Tour, yet in December the TV stars announced the final special, set to air in this year - which Clarkson said felt right. The 63-year-old presenter said his decision came down to feeling exhausted all of the time and struggling to come up with new ideas for the TV show.
Speaking to The Times, he said: "I’ve driven cars higher than anyone else and further north than anyone else. We’ve done everything you can do with a car. When we had meetings about what to do next, people just threw their arms in the air. [The show] is immensely physical and when you’re unfit and fat and old, which I am, camping in Mauritania was a stretch."