Jeremy Clarkson has responded to backlash after he told a dyslexic barrister that he should “learn to spell” in an episode of Clarkson’s Farm.
The former Top Gear presenter said the terse exchange would not have been shown in the Amazon Prime series if he had known Charles Streeten had a learning disorder.
Mr Streeten was representing the local authority against Mr Clarkson over planning permission to extend Diddly Squat Farm when the remark was made.
The junior barrister later published an open letter to Mr Clarkson revealing his learning difficulties and saying the comment made him revisit painful childhood memories.
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In it, he said: “When you muttered those words to me you couldn't have known how many times I've heard them. But to a dyslexic, it's a familiar phrase.”
In a statement shared with The Times, Mr Clarkson said: “It’s great that Mr Streeten has overcome his dyslexia to such an extent that he’s able to send such a well-spelt letter from Jamaica.
“It’s just a shame he chose not to mention his learning difficulty when we met at the planning meeting more than a year ago. Because if he had, the exchange would not have been televised.”
Mr Clarkson made the comment as he walked out of a planning meeting where Mr Streeten had argued, on behalf of his clients, against plans to extend the farm.
The eventual ruling went in favour of Mr Streeten and against Clarkson.
Mr Clarkson purchased the farm in 2008 before starting to run it himself in 2019 and is set to start work on the third season of his show.
He has struggled to get the local council to grant permission for a larger car park with the council saying Diddly Squat Farm must be treated like any other.
West Oxfordshire District Council has emphasised that the proper procedures were followed in Clarkson’s planning applications which included plans for a car park.
He previously expanded the farm shop into a restaurant and appealed an order for the closing of the restaurant following two planning applications being rejected by West Oxfordshire District Council.
He subsequently said he “no longer wished” for a restaurant and wanted to develop on-site parking in a letter to the council in January.
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