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Many visitors consider it one of Spain’s hidden gems. It is renowned for the medieval old town and the oldest Roman lighthouse in the world. The views along the Atlantic Coast are also breathtaking.
But for Jeremy Clarkson. The British TV host best known for his straight-talking style and popular car show Top Gear across four different decades, the city of A Coruña is ‘one of the worst places [he’s] Ever been to?
The self-confessed petrolhead made the comments at a Q&A session last year following a private screening of the final episode of The Grand TourAmazon’s new show, presented by the former Top Gear Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond form a trio.
When asked by an audience member what the worst place was he visited during filming, the motor journalist turned farmer replied La Paz in Bolivia. He then added the port city of Galicia and Kiruna which is the northernmost city of Sweden located in Lapland province.
The comments he made on social media have sparked a fierce debate.
READ MORE: Spain has its own little-known ‘Route 66′ road trip that finishes in Galicia
One Irish expat made fun of Clarkson’s remarks, sarcastically tweeting: “He’s absolutely right, don’t come and visit – nothing to see here, dreadful place.”
Another user said ‘I tell you, he doesn’t have a clue’, while one local added: “Galicia is by far the best place in Spain […] “This way, we won’t be invaded by tourists or annoyed foreigners.”
Almost one million tourists visited the wider metropolitan A Coruña area in 2024 – although the figures are modest in comparison to other Spanish cities, such as Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga or Santiago de Compostela.
Clarkson is not new to making controversial comments.
BBC’s The One Show Clarkson, in 2011, said: “I would take [public sector workers] outside and execute them before their families,” when referring to the UK’s public sector employees who went on strike in 2011 against austerity cutbacks.
Clarkson almost lost her job twice in 2013 and 2014. This was after two separate incidents of racial insults while filming.
After an argument about the lack of hot food, he was fired after punching Oisin Tyrmon, a producer.
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