BBC Pulls Jeremy Clarkson Guest Appearance Following 'Top Gear' Host's Controversial Remarks

11:36 AM PST 12/9/2011 by Mimi Turner

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Clarkson's episode of panel game “QI,” which was recorded in the summer, has been postponed until a future date.

LONDON – The BBC has postponed an episode of panel game QI featuring Jeremy Clarkson, in a bid to diffuse the row over the presenter’s recent spate of controversial comments.

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The quiz show, fronted by Stephen Fry, had been scheduled to air Friday night, but will now be replaced by a different episode in light of the presenter’s recent comments,

Clarkson, one of the U.K.’s top presenters, had attacked striking public service workers and train suicides in a series of ill-judged interviews that provoked over 30,000 viewer complaints.

Now the BBC has decided not to stoke the controversy further by having him on air again – even on a pre-recorded show - just a week after he said that striking workers should be taken out and “executed in front of their families.”

The pubcaster issued an on-air apology immediately after the appearance on the BBC1 One Show a week ago.

Despite the outcry, sales of Clarkson’s Christmas DVD Powered Up have received a hefty boost from the controversy.