London: The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) has concluded that Jeremy Clarkson, the renowned British television presenter and columnist, discriminated against the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, in a controversial column published in the Sun.
The ruling comes after the column, which attracted over 25,000 public complaints, sparked outrage for its sexist tropes and derogatory language.
In the article, Clarkson expressed his "hatred" for Meghan on a "cellular level" and employed a series of sexist tropes, suggesting that she had used her "vivid bedroom promises" to transform Prince Harry into a "warrior of woke."
He even went as far as fantasizing about a scenario where she would be publicly shamed and humiliated. Ipso has determined that these references collectively discriminated against Meghan as a woman.
As a result of the ruling, the Sun has been ordered to publish a front-page statement in its upcoming Saturday print edition and on its website. The statement will explain how Clarkson's column breached anti-discrimination rules. The decision poses a dilemma for ITV and Amazon, who must now decide whether to offer Clarkson new contracts for hosting popular shows such as "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" and "Clarkson's Farm."
Following the publication of the controversial column last December, the piece was swiftly removed from the internet amidst widespread negative publicity. Clarkson, in his defence, claimed that the comments regarding Meghan's public shaming were a reference to a scene from "Game of Thrones" that had been misinterpreted.
The Sun initially resisted claims that Clarkson had violated anti-discrimination rules, arguing that he was a polemicist known for using hyperbolic language. They contended that his comments were criticisms of Meghan's conduct rather than targeting her identity. Ipso, however, emphasized that while freedom of speech allows for mean-spirited and offensive pieces, discrimination against individuals should be avoided.
Ipso's ruling clarifies that although Clarkson's column did not explicitly mention Meghan's race, it did discriminate against her as a woman.
However, the regulator cleared Clarkson of any racial discrimination, stating that the phrase "warrior of woke" in the context of the Duchess did not necessarily carry a pejorative reference to her skin colour, as the term "woke" has evolved beyond race-based activism.