Ladbible X Whatsapp
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Controversial Top Gear incident that almost got Jeremy Clarkson murdered

Home> Entertainment

Updated 13:57 21 Mar 2023 GMTPublished 13:53 21 Mar 2023 GMT

Controversial Top Gear incident that almost got Jeremy Clarkson murdered

The crew were forced to flee Argentina over the controversy

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

Jeremy Clarkson isn't exactly a stranger to controversy, but I'd be willing to bet that it's never nearly got him killed before.

The thing is, Clarkson has insisted this particular controversy wasn't even really his fault. It all came down to a number plate, and a case of wrong place, wrong time.

Clarkson was out on the road with his Top Gear co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May in 2014 when the dramatic incident unfolded, and led to them being trapped in a hotel room in Argentina.

The trio have been in some sticky situations before, but this wasn't exactly some elaborate escape room set up as part of their challenge.

Advert

Instead, it came about after photos of the Porsche 928 Clarkson was driving in Argentina were shared online, revealing the number plate 'H982 FKL'.

Rather than relating the numbers in the licence plate to the type of car Clarkson was driving, some viewers interpreted it as a reference to the Falklands War of 1982, when Britain and Argentina fought for control over the Falkland Islands.

The Top Gear crew are said to have swapped out the licence plate after hearing of the backlash, and the presenters continued with their task of driving to the Argentinian town of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego.

The crew were trapped in the hotel room while the protests took place.
BBC

Protesters weren't as willing to move on from the matter, though, and things came to a head in an attack which Clarkson later described as 'the most terrifying thing [he's] ever been involved in'.

Advert

“There were hundreds of them," he told Press Association. "They were hurling rocks and bricks at our cars. This is not just some kind of jolly Top Gear jape - this was deadly serious."

The crew were told by their local guides to return to their hotel room to avoid protestors, but they encountered more trouble there as the number of protesters grew, so local police advised them to leave as they couldn't guarantee their safety.

Clarkson, Hammond, and May were flown out of Ushuaia, while the rest of the team were given a police escort to the Chilean border. They were later forced to abandon the cars the presenters had used after protesters continued to give chase.

According to local media, one member of the crew commented: "We’re leaving them here, we don’t want any more problems, set fire to them if you like, but we’re getting out of here."

Following the incident, Clarkson insisted the number plate was a 'coincidence', adding: “They threw us out for the political capital. Thousands chased crew to border. Someone could have been killed."

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Topics: Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, Cars

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    Oasis fans in shock after hearing soundcheck for first gig in 16 years this week

    Liam and Noel Gallagher are back with their Live '25 Tour on Friday (4 July)

    Entertainment
  • 11 hours ago

    Will it be illegal to watch controversial film as UK government contemplates terrorism ban

    The documentary covers the work of Palestine Action who look set to be proscribed as a terror organisation

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Netflix's strict three point policy explained after u-turn banning subscribers from watching Line of Duty

    Netflix have reversed a decision on a popular BBC show

    Entertainment
  • 12 hours ago

    Ex-reality star says she has been 'free from masturbation' for 10 years

    Madison Prewett has revealed that she's led a life without porn of self-pleasure for the last decade

    Entertainment
  • Jeremy Clarkson had 'head dislodged from spine' during brutal Top Gear stunt
  • Jeremy Clarkson admits he had to ditch co-host during 'frightening' Top Gear stunt
  • Elon Musk gave his brutally honest thoughts on Jeremy Clarkson after Top Gear stunt that infuriated him
  • Jeremy Clarkson said he 'knew what happened' as 'horrific' Freddie Flintoff Top Gear crash is shown for first time