Jeremy Clarkson interviewed by Paxman: former Top Gear presenter's 'real crime is to be too noisily male'

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An interview with Jeremy Clarkson by Jeremy Paxman for the Financial Times has suggested the former BBC presenter’s “real crime is to be too nosily male.” The conversation with the veteran BBC broadcaster and journalist steers away from the personal – “I began by promising. Paxman suggests one of the real problems many in the media may have is Clarkson has committed the “cardinal British sin of being successful.” But: “It is hard to resist the suspicion that Clarkson’s real crime is to be too noisily male.” Paxman does touch on “The Incident” that saw Clarkson, having co-presented the BBC’s most commercially successful show Top Gear, leave the channel amid a national media storm. While Clarkson’s conduct was “unacceptable” the broadcaster adds: "But there was an unmistakable smell of glee in the commentariat, which went far beyond the alleged facts of the case." He goes on to query whether – having asked two BBC producers who “both happened to be women” – the dislike Clarkson provokes was simply “a gender matter?” The two then become involved in a conversation about “the sexiest scene in film” with Paxman only noting their conversation on account of giving the “Ancient Guid of FT Lunchgivers” an “honest account of their conversation.” Towards the end of the lunch Paxman – like many others – pins the success of Top Gear to its unabashed maleness, describing how it success was due to viewers wanting “to be part of their gang.”