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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/may/28/bbc-top-gear-falklands-jeremy-clarkson-patagonia-special
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BBC's Top Gear cleared of 'cover-up' over Falklands number plate | BBC's Top Gear cleared of 'cover-up' over Falklands number plate |
(35 minutes later) | |
Top Gear has been cleared of allegations there was a “cover-up” over the use of a controversial number plate that appeared to refer to the Falklands conflict in its Patagonia special filmed. | Top Gear has been cleared of allegations there was a “cover-up” over the use of a controversial number plate that appeared to refer to the Falklands conflict in its Patagonia special filmed. |
Presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond were forced to flee from Argentina during filming last October. | Presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond were forced to flee from Argentina during filming last October. |
The show’s makers have always insisted the use of the number plate H982 FKL on a Porsche driven by Clarkson was purely accidental. | |
The show, which went on to air as part of the BBC’s Christmas schedule, sparked a diplomatic incident that saw the Argentinian ambassador to the UK demanding an apology. | The show, which went on to air as part of the BBC’s Christmas schedule, sparked a diplomatic incident that saw the Argentinian ambassador to the UK demanding an apology. |
The BBC’s governing body, the BBC Trust, received several complaints about the show, including one that the number plate was deliberately chosen. | |
Another complainant accused the BBC of a “cover-up” and said they needed to see evidence of the purchase of the car to prove the “amazing coincidence”. | |
Others said that it was highly offensive to air the programme as a “Christmas special”. | |
“No evidence had been presented which demonstrated that the use of the number plate was a deliberate reference to the Falklands war and that therefore the [BBC] executive’s [own] investigation had been flawed,” said Fran O’Brien, head of editorial standards at the BBC Trust. | “No evidence had been presented which demonstrated that the use of the number plate was a deliberate reference to the Falklands war and that therefore the [BBC] executive’s [own] investigation had been flawed,” said Fran O’Brien, head of editorial standards at the BBC Trust. |
“These appeals did not raise a significant issue of general importance which was the threshold at which the trust would become involved in considering an operational complaint.” | “These appeals did not raise a significant issue of general importance which was the threshold at which the trust would become involved in considering an operational complaint.” |