Steve Coogan Says Jeremy Clarkson's 'Affected Machismo' Is 'Profoundly Dull'

Steve Coogan has laid into Jeremy Clarkson, claiming the controversial TV presenter’s “affected machismo” is not something he wants to replicate on his own show.

The ‘Alan Partridge’ creator is currently getting ready to unveil the third series of ‘The Trip’ with fellow comedian Rob Brydon, but when one reporter suggested it was comparable with ‘Top Gear’, Steve was quick to point out the differences between the two.

He told reporters (via Digital Spy): “I quite like Jeremy Clarkson in small doses, but I found that affected machismo thing just profoundly dull.

“I know it’s appealing to some people. It’s very popular, but then Brexit’s popular and so’s Donald Trump, and they’re crap as well. I don’t know what’s going to happen to it.”

Addressing Jeremy Clarkson and his co-presenter’s divisive presenting style, which has often landed them in hot water in the past, he added: “Comedy’s targets should be the powerful, people who should be called to account. Comedy shouldn’t be used to bully disenfranchised and weak people.

“I don’t do that, I don’t like to see [comedy] when it’s used to attack people, or cause prejudices. Not that I make anything I do particularly political, I just try to avoid those things.”

Clarkson and co. are no longer on ‘Top Gear’, but their latest outing on Amazon Prime, ‘The Grand Tour’, has still proved controversial, with the first episode alone featuring jokes about the travelling community, the Ebola virus and yes, even jokes about pleasuring a horse.

Later in the series, Richard Hammond faced widespread backlash for a joke he made about avoiding ice cream in case he be perceived as gay, for which he was slammed on social media.