Amazon's most-anticipated motoring show The Grand Tour has earned extreme popularity ever since it hit TV screens in November. However, the British motoring television series, which is a grand comeback of former Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, recently stirred controversy because of a stunt.
The Grand Tour episode 4 depicted how a migrant can be smuggled into the UK in a car. Following the Celebrity Brain Crash segment, Clarkson introduced the stunt on the Amazon Prime show, which was filmed in Whitby, North Yorkshire. While poking fun about it, he commented that it is a better way for immigrants of getting into Britain.
"When immigrants try to get into the country they always come in the back of a container lorry and that is the world's worst game of hide and seek," Clarkson said.
"If you work for Border Force you open the doors and go, well there you are. Surely, there must be a better way of getting into Britain. And I think I've worked it out," he continued.
Clarkson challenged the audience to find co-host Hammond in an Audi TT within 60 seconds. But as they failed to do it, fellow presenter May then removed the back bumper, which revealed Hammond lying inside the frame of the car.
The stunt has drawn a lot of flak while some called it irresponsible.
Barbara Drozdowicz, from the East European Resource Centre, told the Daily Star: "We are appalled by the portrayal of migrants as an illegal cargo."
According to a Daily Mail report, Kate Gibbs from the Road Haulage Association said: "To demonstrate what is, in effect, little more than a how to guide is just irresponsible."
The show which has a $250 million price tag has become the most illegally downloaded show of all-time, according to data from industry analyst Muso. Amazon lost £3.2 million due to illegal downloads of the first episode, The Holy Trinity, itself. Pirates illegally downloaded the first episode 9.7 million times, the second episode 6.4 million times, and third 4.6 million times, Muso has revealed.
