Will Young hits out at ‘repulsive homophobia’ on Grand Tour
Written by News on 30/01/2019
Will Young has hit out at The Grand Tour over alleged “repulsive” homophobic comments in its latest episode.
In a series of tweets, the singer threatened to go to Ofcom to complain about the Amazon Prime motoring show, which is hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.
Young accused the show of featuring “repulsive” jokes at the expense of the LGBT community during the second part of a special on Colombia, and called on producers to meet young gay people “who want to kill themselves because of shaming”.
In the episode, Clarkson is driving in a Jeep. His co-hosts imply the vehicle is a car driven by gay people, with Hammond suggesting Clarkson needs a new grooming routine and different clothes.
Hammond said: “Maybe some nice chaps. Suede, but ventilated at the back.” Later, The Weather Girls’ hit It’s Raining Men plays from the Jeep’s stereo.
After raising the issue on Twitter, Young, who is gay, said: “No word from @PrimeVideo so @Ofcom beckons. Enough is enough and I’m p****d and fed up. I want Amazonprime and the producers of grand tour to meet young lgbt who want to kill themselves because of shaming and laughter and normalising of shaming homophobic narratives…”
He added: “Your time is up and it’s time to take a stand. Is there a legal case? Who knows……. watch this space.”
Young, who rose to fame after winning the first series of Pop Idol in 2002, accused the show of stereotyping.
He said: “I DON’T drive a Wrangler Jeep. I DON’T wear pink shirts . I DON’T wear arseless chaps. You can be honest and funny without this ridiculous ‘lad’ ooh being gay and let’s laugh about it mentality . It’s repulsive and how DARE you do it and put it out @PrimeVideo.”
Responding to another Twitter user’s complaint about the show, Clarkson replied: “What homophobic jokes?”
A spokesman for The Grand Tour said they would not be commenting.
It is not the first time the presenters have faced controversy.
Clarkson, who used to front the BBC’s Top Gear alongside Hammond and May, was dismissed from the corporation in 2015 following a “fracas” with a producer.
The trio have been accused of homophobia before.
In a 2016 episode of The Grand Tour, Hammond was criticised for saying he does not eat ice cream because he is “straight”.
Clarkson was criticised in 2006 after calling a Daihatsu Copen “a bit gay” in an episode of Top Gear.
(c) Sky News 2019: Will Young hits out at ‘repulsive homophobia’ on Grand Tour
