The Grand Tour host Richard Hammond is facing a backlash from fans and the gay community, after saying he doesn't eat ice-cream "because I'm straight".
Filming a live episode of the new motoring show with his former Top Gear co-hosts, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, Hammond suggested only gay men would eat an ice-cream.
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Richard Hammond: 'Ice-cream is gay'
The Grand Tour host is under fire after calling ice-cream eaters 'gay'.
The comment shocked even his co-hosts.
In the sixth episode of the show's first season, the trio were discussing the interior of a car, with Clarkson saying "the only problem is that in one of those, you couldn't enjoy a chocolate Magnum ice-cream".
Hammond responded: "It's all right, I don't eat ice-cream. It's something to do with being straight."
As his co-hosts did a double-take, the audience cheered and clapped - prompting Clarkson to turn to the audience and exclaim: "Why are you applauding him?"
To Hammond, he asked: "What do you mean? … You're saying all children are homosexual?"
Hammond replied: "Ice-cream is a bit, you know. There's nothing wrong with it, but a grown man eating an ice-cream - it's that way, rather than that way.
"I'm right. I can't believe you can't see that. It's easy. It's in front of you."
🤗 hello & here's the full richard hammond 'ice creams are gay' piece and yeah, it's awful pic.twitter.com/JhDisRsc1Q
— Ollie Cole (@ProducerOllie) December 26, 2016
LGBTI groups were quick to condemn Hammond's comments. One told The Guardian the co-host's words were "chosen purposefully to mock and belittle".
Viewers were shocked, calling Hammond a bigot, and making fun at his expense.
Neither Hammond nor The Grand Tour had yet commented on the backlash.
We lost Prince, Bowie and Michael in a year where Richard Hammond can't eat ice cream in fear of damaging his fragile & pathetic masculinity
— Dean Eastmond (@deanvictorr) December 27, 2016
richard hammond: "eating ice cream is gay"
— el (@D3M0G0RG0N) December 27, 2016
everyone on twitter: pic.twitter.com/1gXQPhO3DD
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