Jim Davidson: 'I'd love to host Top Gear but I'm banned from driving'
Former TV presenter reveals his love of the show during a grilling from James O’Brien
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jim Davidson has admitted that he’d “love” to take over as the new Top Gear host – if he wasn’t “always banned from driving”.
The BBC has yet to announce a replacement for Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear since the presenter’s contract was not renewed following the infamous “fracas”, though a host of celebrities have been suggested as suitable replacements since the incident, including Keanu Reeves.
Davidson’s own remarks expressing his wish to host the motoring programme came during an interview on ITV’s new daytime political talk-show, O’Brien, which sees journalist James O’Brien grill politicians, journalists, celebrities and campaigners in the run up to the general election.
O’Brien quizzes Davidson on his past and described the comedian as a “poster boy for political correctness”.
Davidson, who won Celebrity Big Brother last year, said he’d like to “get rid of political correctness” and replace it with “courtesy and politeness”.
“I think political correctness just fuels the bigots, the more it’s rammed down your throat to more you tend to rebel.”
When O’Brien asks whether Davidson considers himself racist or not, citing a character he used to play called “Chalky”, the former Big Break host responds that he only developed the character of Chalky because “I could to a West Indian accent”.
He insists that “Chalky was a character I made to be loved, not to ridicule black people”.
Speaking of his absence from TV as a presenter, Davidson says that “everyone has a shelf life and you move on”.
But when O’Brien quips that “there’s a job going on Top Gear,” Davidson replies: “I’d love to do it but I’m always banned from driving,” though he did not reveal the reason why.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments