Will Young has voiced his disapproval about the new series of The Grand Tour, claiming a sketch in the latest episode is homophobic.
The Leave Right Now singer hit out at the show in a string of tweets, admitting that as a car fan and former Top Gear guest he’d been excited to watch the new series, but was disappointed that many of the jokes seemed to be at the expense of gay men.
He specifically called out a scene in which presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond suggested that a Jeep Wrangler was a car for gay men, before wheeling out a number of tired stereotypes.
Will wrote: “1. I love cars always have always will. 2. I loved going on top gear 3. Excited about watching new [Grand Tour] and I’m afraid 3 heterosexual men SO uncomfortable with their sexuality that they reference in some lame way a Wrangler Jeep being a Gay mans car.
“And then Hammond and May’s ‘quips’ to Clarkson wearing chaps, a pink shirt, he should get some moisturiser. It’s fucking pathetic and actually homophobic.”
Calling out Amazon, who he said he’d hoped to work with on a new show centred around LGBT+ content, Will continued: “Screw them and the show and Amazon… for putting this shaming archaic [tripe] out.
“@AmazonPrimenow it’s insulting and they can’t rest on laurels of ‘oh we are just politically incorrect’ It’s sad and shaming , bigoted and for fucks sake grow up.
“How dare they stereotype gay men. I DON’T drive a Wrangler Jeep. I DON’T wear pink shirts . I DON’T wear arseless chaps. You can be honest and funny without this ridiculous ‘lad’ ooh being gay and let’s laugh about it mentality. It’s repulsive and how DARE you do it and put it out.”
Will concluded: “You know what really fucks me off is this is a DECISION by the producers. Let’s make one of the narratives the ‘gay Jeep’ how DARE you you obtuse, bigoted immature babies of men.”
A representative for The Grand Tour declined to comment when contacted by HuffPost UK.
In 2016, The Grand Tour’s Richard Hammond faced accusations of homophobia, over a segment on the show in which he suggested that eating ice cream was reserved for gay men only.
He later received a backlash when he admitted he didn’t understand why LGBT+ people still “feel the need” to come out.
More recently, Jeremy Clarkson – who has faced his own backlashes over his use of racist and transphobic language in the past – dismissed the idea that he and his co-presenters had ever been sexist on their shows.