Jeremy Clarkson says he's "horrified" that it sounded as if he used racist language while filming an episode of Top Gear.
It comes after claims he used the N-word while reciting 'Eeny Meeny Miny Moe' - video of the incident is published here.
Clarkson told his Twitter followers he had made every effort to make sure he did not use the slur, but realised it might have sounded as though he did.
In a video posted on his Twitter account tonight, he said: "I was mortified by this, horrified. It is a word I loathe.
"Please be assured I did everything in my power to not use that word. And as I'm sitting here begging your forgiveness for the fact that obviously my efforts weren't quite good enough."
I did not use the n word. Never use it. The Mirror has gone way too far this time.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) May 1, 2014The segment was later edited out of the BBC broadcast.
The BBC also released a firm statement.
"Jeremy Clarkson has set out the background to this regrettable episode," the statement said.
"We have made it absolutely clear to him the standards the BBC expects on-air and off.
"We have left him in no doubt about how seriously we view this."
Clarkson told his 3.3 million Twitter followers that when reciting the rhyme he "mumbled where the offensive word would normally occur" in two takes, and used the word "teacher" in its place in a third.
"When I viewed this footage, several weeks later, I realised that if you listen very carefully with the sound turned right up, it did appear I actually used the word I was trying to obscure," he said.
The allegations were reported in the Daily Mirror, which claimed the footage was studied by "audio forensic experts" who told them the star "can be heard chanting Eeny, meeny, miny moe ... catch a nigger by his toe'".
The claims come days after the motoring show's producer apologised for broadcasting a "light-hearted" racist joke by Clarkson.
An episode filmed in Burma and Thailand and shown in March, featured a scene in which the presenters built a bridge over the River Kwai, and as an Asian man walked over it Clarkson said: "That is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it."
Clarkson is well known for causing offense - in recent years he has been cleared of breaching the broadcasting code by watchdog Ofcom after comparing a Japanese car to people with growths on their faces.
He previously faced a storm of protest from mental health charities after he branded people who throw themselves under trains "selfish" and was forced to apologise for telling BBC1's The One Show that striking workers should be shot.
The motoring show has also faced complaints from Indian and Mexican politicians over remarks made about their countries while filming on location.
PAA
source: newshub archive
