Jeremy Clarkson has slammed reports that James May was “chuffed” to see Chris Evans resign from Top Gear and dismissed claims that he organised a “victory parade” to celebrate. Evans, who succeeded Clarkson on the BBC show, stepped down as host this week after mounting criticism and plummeting ratings. May was claimed to have said he was “very chuffed” to hear of Evans’ departure, according to Mail Online.
It was also reported that Clarkson was asked how he feels about the resignation, and replied: “Don’t be stupid! But Clarkson dismissed the reports on Twitter and claimed he has video footage to prove that the pair did not say what was reported. “The Mail Online’s report of what happened in Italy today is utter utter horseshit. Whoever wrote it should be ashamed of themselves,” he tweeted. He added he had proof the quotes were not accurate.
Clarkson, May and Richard Hammond are currently in Italy filming their new Amazon Prime show The Grand Tour. The trio drove supercars through the Piazza Dei Signori in the centre of Vicenza and were mobbed by hundreds of fans after Clarkson invited members of the public to watch filming on Thursday.
The Grand Tour is set to air this autumn and will see the motoring enthusiasts present in a tent in a different location each week. The first stop on the tour will be Johannesburg, and the trio this week announced a UK date.
According to the MailOnline a cameraman also allegedly said: “Jeremy’s been trying to keep quiet about it, but he’s pleased as punch. He’s kept his mouth shut about Evans the whole time, and now Evans has hung himself by his own rope without Jeremy getting involved. It’s ironic because Evans was a massive Top Gear fan, but he’s ruined it for himself by taking the top job job on the show.”