Despite churning out such brilliant programmes such as Strictly, Spooks and last night’s My Family At War (only the BBC could do shows like that), it seems the corporation might have to do some more firefighting, in a week that it has done more self-flagellation than I think I’ve seen administer before. Despite the outrageous backlash Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross suffered last week (a simple smack on the wrists and swift apology from all concerned would have sufficed), another one of the BBC’s more outspoken personalities could be up against it. Although only 200 people complained after Jeremy Clarkson blustered something Jeremy Clarksonish in the opening episode of Top Gear on Sunday, I’m guessing that the figure could rise in the next few days.

For all our Top Gear news and reviews (including Mof’s review of Sunday’s episode), go here.

As part of the lorry driving challenge on Sunday night, Clarkson said: “Change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That’s a lot of effort in a day.”

A bit tasteless maybe, but you kind of come to expect that from Clarkson. He’s a very good presenter and broadcaster, but sometimes his chauvinism and mild xenophobia really make me angry. I think he’s a bit of an oaf, albeit an entertaining one.

There’s big story on the BBC website today, and the Daily Mail (quel surprise) screams, “Row over Clarkson joke that truck drivers ‘murder prostitutes’ escalates as complaints hit 500″, in one of its headlines.

Then there’s The Sun, who Clarkson writes for. In today’s paper it said: “For truck’s sake … it’s only a joke”. Which is fair enough, but not what I expected from The Sun, who normally leap on high horses all over the shop. But it is interesting that the most high-profile coverage of the story is from the BBC itself. It really must be bricking it these days.

I just hope that the current trend for insane media witch hunts doesn’t provoke a similar response to the Brand/Ross fiasco. Let’s see what happens in the coming days…