The eighth floor

[Jono]

Top Gear big-mouth Jeremy Clarkson went into four-letter drive...when a 12-year-old boy took his picture on holiday.

The BBC motoring show presenter tore into youngster Tom Dickman for snapping him asleep on a beach in Barbados.

He confronted the terrified youngster in front of shocked onlookers and ranted: "Are you the little f***er that took my picture? If you do that again or it goes on the internet I will hunt you down and rip your f***ing head off."

Tom ran to his dad Chris in tears. The 37-year-old garage owner, from Hitchin, Herts., said: "I saw it all happen.

"Tom was a huge fan of Top Gear and Clarkson was his hero. He watched the show every week and even asked me to buy him the DVDs for Christmas and birthdays.

"He was so proud when he come back the day before to show me his little digital camera and say, 'I've just taken a picture of Jeremy Clarkson'. I was made up for him - he only took the picture to show his mates at school that he'd really seen his hero on his holiday. But Clarkson's reaction was out of order. He utterly humiliated and scared my son."

The family complained about Clarkson to the BBC - but a spokesman would only say: "Mr Clarkson was on a private holiday."

Chris said: "I was disgusted by the BBC's response. Who the hell does Clarkson think he is?" And Tom vowed: "I used to think Top Gear was great - but I won't watch it ever again."

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2008/04/13/jeremy-clarkson-is-four-letter-rant-to-boy-12-98487-20380837/

While I can understand the father's disgust, Jeremy has been quite annoyed by the amount of photographs of him that seem to end up mocking him in newspapers. I bet that picture soon would have ended up in the tabloids, if his father is prepared to report this story to the media. He shouldn't have been like that to the boy, but I'd certainly have done something. Why should the BBC give a better response? He was on holiday and wasn't working for them at the time.

[Hammer]

The kid should have asked for permission if he wanted a photo. Little sympathy, and as you say Jono, what did the dad expect the BBC to say? It's a private holiday.

[tamba]

I don't blame Jeremy.

What a rude child not to ask.

[FreakaZoid101]

Boy should have asked.

Paparazzo in training?

Maybe Jezza had a bad day already.

[KingTutsWWH]

I'm totally behind Jeremy on this one. As Jono hinted, the pictures were probably headed for the tabloids anyway given that the father was on to the papers immediately with his even more lucrative 'ranting Clarkson ' story.

I absolutely loathe it when random strangers take my photo or film me. It's an invasion of my privacy. It makes me feel pretty verbally abusive too... and I'm not even famous.

[Southern Gaelic]

I'm in agreement here. The boy should have asked to take the picture, like a proper "fan meets celebrity" type picture instead of taking a picture of him sleeping. That was just plain rude.

[Lucinda]

Thank goodness, another child who has realised that Jeremy Clarkson is full of hot air. That was an over the top reaction to a 12 year old and he shouldn't be swearing at kids. I don't exactly expect the BBC to do anything about it but if he treats his fans like that, it suggests he isn't a very nice person.

[Guest]

Thank goodness, another child who has realised that Jeremy Clarkson is full of hot air. That was an over the top reaction to a 12 year old and he shouldn't be swearing at kids. I don't exactly expect the BBC to do anything about it but if he treats his fans like that, it suggests he isn't a very nice person.

Spot on. I couldn't agree more.

[Jono]

Thank goodness, another child who has realised that Jeremy Clarkson is full of hot air. That was an over the top reaction to a 12 year old and he shouldn't be swearing at kids. I don't exactly expect the BBC to do anything about it but if he treats his fans like that, it suggests he isn't a very nice person.

Would you want someone coming up you sleeping on a beach and taking a picture of you? You'd get the same reaction taking a picture of someone on the beach in Cromer, why should it be different because it's JC?

I imagine the boy was egged on by his father which is why he's making such a fuss about it.

Coming from the tabloids it's probably an exaggeration too.

[Guest]

Would you want someone coming up you sleeping on a beach and taking a picture of you? You'd get the same reaction taking a picture of someone on the beach in Cromer, why should it be different because it's JC?

He's a 50-year old man, not a 7-year old little girl.

[Jono]

He's a 50-year old man, not a 7-year old little girl.

And? Doesn't matter what age you are, you still wouldn't want semi-naked photographs in the press. You go on holiday to get away from it all.

It seems The Mirror have a vendetta against him since he told them back in 2004 he wouldn't jump ship to write for them. It's seen bickering with Piers Morgan and more recently all of these photographs have all contributed to it. If Clarkson is supposed to 'grow up' then maybe the press should too.

The kid should learn celebrities aren't all going to smile and wave when a camera is stuck in their face.

[KingTutsWWH]

Ooooooh we have a right polemic here!

Just waiting for Kelly's reaction...

[popbitcher]

he's 12 he will be in high school! he should know better than to just take a picture like that. twelve year olds look older too. it's not like he was a five year old kid who wouldn't understand. what a sissy to then make a story out of it being upset. get a thicker skin, the pair are money grabbers. if the bbc have declined to comment it means it might not have even happened!

it sounds like the usual jeremy clarkson though the miserable sod we all love

[Jono]

I think there's more to this. He couldn't have just found out the kid had taken a photograph when he was asleep. Seems as if the kid made a fuss about it, probably gobbing off about it. Let's not forget the kid is in an expensive hotel next door to Jeremy. The boy and father aren't stupid, they know what they're doing.

[Kelly]

Woah, I'm so not getting involved in this.

I'm with Jeremy though, as always.

[DaNNiP15]

He's a 50-year old man, not a 7-year old little girl.

i agree

[Emma]

I don't blame Jeremy.

What a rude child not to ask.

But he was sleeping. Surely if the child had disturbed him and woke him up it would have aggravated him more?

[Jono]

But he was sleeping. Surely if the child had disturbed him and woke him up it would have aggravated him more?

Why take the darn photo in the first place. He's aggravated him more because he'd obviously woke him up to show him the photograph! If he was asleep there must be more to it as he found out in the end.

This aggravates me. People say 'oh he shouldn't be let off from swearing a child because he's a celebrity'. Great, which means you're saying he's a normal person. In which case why should the normal person have a camera stuck in their face when on a holiday.

I think there are too many brats out there who are being allowed to do what they want, and because of rules and regulations nothing can be done to stop them. I'd love for more adults to be like this and tell kids on trains to terrorise others exactly the same. Not enough adults do it.

[Kelly]

I agree entirely. A few months ago he got in trouble for shouting at some yobs that had crashed his daughter's birthday party, and I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. It was a private party and they had no right to be there, so there was nothing wrong with what he did.

[Guest]

He confronted the terrified youngster in front of shocked onlookers and ranted: "Are you the little f***er that took my picture? If you do that again or it goes on the internet I will hunt you down and rip your f***ing head off."

I think there are too many brats out there who are being allowed to do what they want, and because of rules and regulations nothing can be done to stop them. I'd love for more adults to be like this and tell kids on trains to terrorise others exactly the same. Not enough adults do it.

So what you're saying is it's okay for adults to threaten to physically assault and abuse children in order to get them to stop behaving like...children? Hmm.

[DC]

c*nt. how dare he go on holiday.

[Jono]

So what you're saying is it's okay for adults to threaten to physically assault and abuse children in order to get them to stop behaving like...children? Hmm.

It did the trick last time he did it. Some kids trying to steal his wallet. He penned them up against a wall, and they soon ran off. But oh wait, this is modern day Britain. Just like then, it's the guy who is in trouble. Because they decide to sue. Should we allow kids to go around taking photographs and sending it to all their mates then? Should we do nothing about it?

It's the father in this case who really needs sorting out. He let his kid take photographs of people on a beach, and then goes straight to the newspaper for more money with a story that has probably been exaggerated. How does he know what JC exactly said?

My parents wouldn't have let me hear the end of it if someone had shouted at me for taking a picture.

[Emma]

Why take the darn photo in the first place. He's aggravated him more because he'd obviously woke him up to show him the photograph! If he was asleep there must be more to it as he found out in the end.

This aggravates me. People say 'oh he shouldn't be let off from swearing a child because he's a celebrity'. Great, which means you're saying he's a normal person. In which case why should the normal person have a camera stuck in their face when on a holiday.

I think there are too many brats out there who are being allowed to do what they want, and because of rules and regulations nothing can be done to stop them. I'd love for more adults to be like this and tell kids on trains to terrorise others exactly the same. Not enough adults do it.

That doesn't really relate to what I said, but oh well.

[tamba]

But he was sleeping. Surely if the child had disturbed him and woke him up it would have aggravated him more?

I didn't realise he was asleep, but what is a 'child' doing taking a photo of someone without permission anyway. I would never dream of doing that to anyone.

What would have happened if it was the other way round ? Jeremy would have been arrested straight away ?

I believe some children have no manners or respect anymore, as they are not taught it anymore.

[Riz]

I didn't realise he was asleep, but what is a 'child' doing taking a photo of someone without permission anyway. I would never dream of doing that to anyone.

What would have happened if it was the other way round ? Jeremy would have been arrested straight away ?

I believe some children have no manners or respect anymore, as they are not taught it anymore.

He's 12 years old! If this is the kind of stick a 12 year old kid gets for taking a photo of one of his idols when he happened to see him, god knows what would happen if he actually did something bad.

You would never dream of doing that to anyone because, erm, youre not a kid whos astonished that hes just seen his hero.

Jeremy Clarkson is this kids idol, it comes with the job. Its nothing to do with respect, what 12 year old boy would want to show off to his class mates who he saw when he was on holiday?

Jeeez.