Clash at BBC think-tank

You would probably never expect them to see eye-to-eye; but Jo Brand has revealed she had a celebrity spat with Jeremy Clarkson at a BBC think-tank.

She yesterday repeated her complaints about the Top Gear host’s ‘casual racism and misogyny’ – and told of how they exchanged sharp words when they met.

Speaking at the Hay literary festival, Brand said: ‘The BBC used to do this thing called Talent Dinners. They said, “We want to hear everyone’s ideas on how you we can improve the BBC”. I turned to Jeremy Clarkson and said, “You can fucking take him off for a start”.

‘I was only winding him up. I know he is very successful and earns squillions, but he didn’t like what I said. He turned to me and said, “I don’t know why you’re on telly – all you ever talk about is periods.” It was so unfair.’

However Brand confessed she found Clarkson ‘charming’ in person, adding it was only his TV persona she ‘couldn’t stomach’.

She added: ‘He is like a naughty schoolboy who says things for effect to wind people up.’

Published: 2 Jun 2011