A year on from their ‘parting of ways’ Jeremy Clarkson has spoken out about his relationship with BBC executives.
In an interview with The Times, he spoke about number of clashes with his former bosses over politics, the death of his mother and even allegations that his dog’s name was racist.
In the interview, Clarkson singled out Danny Cohen, previously the BBC’s director of television, reports the Huffington Post.
He claims Cohen called him into his office to ask if he really had named his black dog ‘Didier Dogba’ after Didier Drogba – see what he did there – who was playing for Clarkson’s team, Chelsea.
Clarkson told The Times Magazine:
I confirmed it was true. He said, ‘What colour is it?’ And I said, ‘It’s black.’
He said, ‘You can’t call your black dog after a black football player.’ So I said, ‘Why not? Would you rather I called it John Terrier?’
If he came up with that on the spot then he’s funnier than we give him credit for – he’s probably been working on it for a year though…
Clarkson, who was interviewed while filming the new – still unnamed – Amazon Prime version of the show in Barbados, said:
Danny and I were, and I suspect will remain for ever, very far apart on every single thing.
I think Danny and I could probably only get on perfectly well if we absolutely never had to think about each other for the rest of the time.
Clarkson conceded that doesn’t mind anyone having an opinion that’s different to his – as long as they don’t mind his opinion either.
The Times also quoted a source close to Mr Cohen, who said:
Danny has no interest in responding to inaccurate claims, but remains proud to have taken action against a man who saw fit to punch a colleague.
Fair enough – I’m really not a Clarkson fan, but the dog thing doesn’t really seem racist – and you would never want to curse any other living thing with John Terry’s name would you?
