Savile Victims: Clarkson Comparison 'Upsetting'

Victims of Jimmy Savile have described comparisons between the support for Jeremy Clarkson and the widespread protection offered to the dead paedophile as "upsetting" and "totally offensive".

The Mail on Sunday claimed one of the BBC's most senior executives had made the analogy.

According to the paper, the unnamed figure said Clarkson had been allowed to behave however he wished because of his status and his friendship with the likes of David Cameron .

It follows Clarkson's suspension for allegedly punching TV producer Oisin Tymon during an argument about a lack of hot food following filming.

The Mail On Sunday quoted the BBC figure as saying: "The pressure this guy (Tymon) is under is so Savilesque in a way.

"If you look at what David Cameron says or what (former culture secretary Maria Miller) says and you swap Clarkson for Savile, you get this: David Cameron is effectively saying that Savile's a real talent, Maria Miller saying Savile will be Savile."

Liz Dux, a lawyer at the firm representing 169 of Savile's victims, denounced the comparison.

She said: "Many of Savile's victims find a direct parallel between these issues to be upsetting and highly inappropriate.

"One victim said that while both have celebrity status, to suggest other similarities is totally offensive.

"Nevertheless, they want the lessons from Savile learned, whereby fame and celebrity must never be an excuse to overlook wrongdoing."

There was further fallout on the fracas in The Sunday Times, with Clarkson's food critic friend AA Gill revealing it was the Top Gear presenter himself who brought the matter to the BBC's attention .

"Jeremy called Danny Cohen, the director of BBC television, directly and explained he had lost his rag," wrote Gill.

"Cohen had a choice: to do the right thing or the bureaucratic thing, but at the BBC no good intention goes unquestioned."

Mr Cohen suspended Clarkson and cancelled the next three episodes of the money-spinning programme.

He also announced an inquiry into the incident, due to begin today.

Led by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland, the investigation will try to establish what happened on the night of 4 March at the Simonstone Hall hotel in Hawes, North Yorkshire, after Clarkson was told the chef had stopped serving hot food.

It will also take into account Clarkson's other controversies of the past two years .

A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC's position is the one we set out in a statement last week.

"We have an investigation led by Ken MacQuarrie to establish the facts and people should wait for the outcome of that."

Nearly one million people have signed a petition calling for Clarkson to be reinstated.