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A BBC INVESTIGATION has cleared Top Gear presenters over the use of the word ‘pikey’ in an episode last year.
The decision has been criticised by Traveller organisations which have accused the BBC of ‘legitimising the use of a racist word’.
The incident comes one week after presenter Jeremy Clarkson was suspended by the broadcaster for allegedly punching one of the show’s producers and calling him a “lazy Irish c**t”.
The complaint, which was lodged by the Traveller Movement charity, concerned an episode of Top Gear which aired in February which featured a race of hatchback cars which were popular in the 1980s.
During the programme, presenter Richard Hammond drove a Vauxhall Nova and was mocked by his colleagues. Jeremy Clarkson then placed a placard on the start line with the words ‘Pikey’s Peak’ on it.
The complainant said it was a gratuitous use of derogatory and racist language.
In its ruling published today, the BBC Trust’s Editorial Standards Committee said that the word ‘pikey’ had evolved into common parlance to mean ‘cheap’ and would not necessarily be associated with Traveller or Gypsy communities.
“The use of the word ‘pikey’ had been used on a placard to mean ‘cheap’ or ‘chavvy’ rather than directly related to the minority communities,” the ruling said. “The Committee considered that there had been no intended racist reference when using the word”.
The committee said that the word ‘pikey’ was in keeping with the style of humour exhibited by the presenters towards Richard Hammond’s perceived ‘cheap’ style.
However it warned programme makers to bear in mind the potential for offence in future programmes and to “employ extreme care and sensitivity when using it”.
A spokesperson for the Traveller Movement in Britain said the decision not to uphold the complaint was “absurd”.
“The claim that it has evolved a new meaning and that most people do not realise it has any reference at all with Gypsies and Travellers is absolute rubbish,” the spokesperson told The Independent.
The group had cited previous uses of the word ‘pikey’ in their complaint, including in 2008 when Clarkson called Hammond ‘such a pikey’ for having a personalised car number plate.
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All the travellers do is complain and whine about not being treated fairly. From 99% of what I’ve seen they seriously need to cop on. They give their own names by behaving like they do.
Some English people use that word a lot. Not referring to Irish travellers more cheap chavvy people.
Some English people refer to Irish people as pikeys with really pisses me off.
But in fare ness Sam the travelling community provides most of us settled people with free housing, free weekly social welfare payments, free health care, free education for our kids, free water and free bin collection through all the income tax they pay….. so they have every right to complain and whinge when people disrespect them………
That’s it, isn’t it? They’re a credit to society, ever the underdog, the constantly maligned and discriminated against. Sure they deserve everything they get; honest souls who are always willing to put down a day’s work and give back to the community.
You used to be funny, Duck.
Thanks charlie………. glad i made you giggle at some point …….xxx
I lived in London for a number of years and was never referred to as a pikey, it must be just you Vin. You don’t tar drives for a living by any chance, or offer to take away people’s rubbish, and ‘legitimately’ get rid of it?
Maybe just not to your face.
Your post is the definition of bigotry! Well done you are definitely a bigot!
Ah the poor Travelling community.
The world is against them
Having black skin makes you a different race to somebody with white skin. Having wheels on your home does not make you a different race to people who don’t have wheels on their home.
We don’t really have races, superficial surface differences. We DO have cultural differences. Like paying taxes and putting rubbish in bins versus not doing that.
It depends on how you came into possession of the wheels in the first place.
Egg head, you are incorrect, Irish travellers are a separate ethnic group within Ireland. They have a separate culture, language and musical heritage. They also have a distinct DNA pattern. Your comment is like saying that Irish and English people are the same race. The constant casual and deliberate racism directed against traveller people is a disgrace and people should inform themselves before making sweeping generalisations like yours.
Well said Sarah. About time the Brigade turned up.
Culture?! Of robbing people, intimidating people, making absolute tips of wherever they go? If that’s your definition of culture it vastly differs from mine. Pandering to the whims of $c*mbags is all your doing.
There DNA is unique all right. There are all related
How about different languages then. Travellers speak Shelta and Cant – surely their own languages proves their different ethnicities?
It’s the same as the word knacker over here. These days it’s used more to describe tracksuit wearing skangers or the pyjamas brigade!
I’m wondering when not working,sponging of the state and robbing for a living became a race?
Oh pleae spare us from that ignorant buffoon Clarkson.
Get rid of the stupid oaf !
It’s not just a mess they leave behind its dead n dying horse abused n neglected left to die by the side of the road still strapped to their sulkies. Tied to trees or what ever with little or no access to food or water, it’s dogs particularly lurchers n sighthound types that have been dragged behind cars n dumped when they aren’t fast enough,left to starve and often severely beaten and abused. All in the name of culture. I find that massively offensive but you don’t see them doing much to change that do you? They earned (oh that’s a first)every single name for themselves perhaps if the copped on,got a few real jobs,an education a bit of respect for the “settled”people and their communities,stopped intimidating people,abusing n stealing animals they may find people will be a little more sympathetic. As soon as travellers are mentioned the Gaurds turn a blind eye because they’ll be accused of being racist n quite frankly are afraid of them.
The world is just becoming to pc for its own good. People jump at any chance to create a fuss over the smallest things.
I wonder why most of the moaners about PC are men? Cramp your style does it lads?
It’s only becoming too pc because people are to cowed to rebut the emotional shaming jabbering the pc crowd throw around .
Tell it like it is and don’t fall into name calling , use logic and their arguments fall apart .
Spikes- ashamed of nothing, offended by everything…
*pikeys
Chinaski had a great laugh at that one absolutey true
Been a long day. Thanks for the giggle! Some times you just have to love autocorrect…
As much as Pavee point annoy the hell out of me it really annoys me how Clarkson can get away with this. The more they try to justify this person the worse he gets. Just my opinion.
The committee found another definition for the word pikey, good, our traveler friends have brought a lot worse terms on themselves and any of the pc brigade who think differently should let them camp beside them
Hello Brian. I was wondering if you could tell me a little more about this PC Brigade of which you speak. Rates of pay, nearest recruitment office,that kind of thing.
I’m thinking of joining because I value decency and equality over boorishness and ignorance.
So I thought they might be interested.
Any information gratefully received.
Brian I’ve lived near many of “them” for nine years.” (today happens to be the ninth anniversary of my moving in) and have never had one ounce of trouble.
..said nobody in Ireland ever…
Pikey is a cockney word for “someone who is different”. Nothing derogatory about the word. Next they’ll be complaining about the word “traveller”
So we dont like clackson for saying one of his production team is a lazy irish c.nt but………. will we stand up for our nomadic cultured friends or will we let him away with this one this time…….
in fairness, the producer was Irish – and perhaps he is not a nice person (dont like the word Clarkson used even though it may have been descriptive of this person)
We have an idea who Clarkson is, but who knows the producer? He may be a complete twit, or just a person trying to do his job, we dont know do we?
Clarkson is on a mission to alienate the world and still hold down a job
Or a bunch of beauricratic arseholeys are trying to get rid of Clarkson
When are our lovely Eastern European Roma imports gonna go on strike for an upgrade to ” Traveller” status? Them lads sure know the ropes too, when it comes to contributing zero & taking much from the State.
I wonder what he’ll say when he next visits Ireland and sees all the cars with ‘N’ signs.
Its OK for Jeremy Clarkson to be a racist bully because his show is liked.
He is racist because the tabloids said he is don’t you mean…
Can’t say anything these days.
Has any lazy Irish c* *t lodged a complaint?
I f…..g hate pikeys!
He should of been sacked a long time ago
Some English people assume all irish are pikeys and refer to them as such. First hand experience of this.
Passed through the Curragh in Kildare today, and guess what a load of pikey f**kers all parked up in their English reg cars and caravans. Rubbish everywhere, not to mention trailer loads of rubbish that they have probably charged idiotic people to take away, and which will no doubt be left behind when they eventually move on somewhere else. These people get away with absolute murder, and sadly those in authority are afraid of them. Fair play to the UK government if they aren’t afraid of these people, sad thing is though that they will all probably move back here as they know our hopeless lot will never challenge them.
I hate pikeys!!
I hate PIKEYS
He should do an episode about Transit vans to clear the air.
You see it’s the police not the BBC that should investigate this , explain the difference in what john terry did last year against QPR and this , oh Ya , Terry didn’t assault Anton Ferdinand after racially abusing him.
that’s an important question – why aren’t the police involved? is it because there was not an assault as the tabloids have reported? There certainly were reports from other sources that said Clarkson did not hit the producer – only that Clarkson swore a lot and was behaving like a spoilt child.
Remember the whole thing was actually reported by Clarkson, and that was after another day of filming.
I would never dream of using such an offensive word, it’s well known, that travellers do not like it, so I would never use it. Ireland has certainly changed!, No” Compassion” for anyone that’s different , why lump all travellers, with some that give them a bad name, Shame on all of you who do that!
Compassion may be a word you’d want to teach them.
he’s the sort that was riding around here on horses no so long ago in a red coat with the smell of some english slatterns fanny drifting from his skin.
Should it not be the idea of name calling or identifying a person or persons as different to the rest of society as the real problem here. Nobody should have the right to pass judgement on another or for any reason think that we are better than the next person. Clarkson and his type are very out of sync with modern man and so maybe shouldn’t be commenting on the public stage as much
Gary, Clarkson is a TV presenter and newspaper columnist – whose job is to comment on the ‘public stage’
Why on earth would we have people in the media if those people shouldnt comment on the public stage?
You dont have to agree with them
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