Jeremy Clarkson refuses to hug or kiss contestants on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'.
Jeremy Clarkson refuses to hug quiz show contestants
The former 'Top Gear' star took over hosting the popular quiz show from Chris Tarrant, but he has a rule against personal contact and won't even offer an embrace if the contender wins the £1 million jackpot.
In his column for The Times, Jeremy explained: "I don’t really like hugging other men. There’s always a sense that my genitals are perilously close to theirs, and I really, really don’t like it when they move in for a kiss, which sometimes happens as well."
He went on to insist it's not just same-sex hugs he avoids, adding: "I don’t even like hugging women especially. It’s too intimate and there’s always a danger that they’re going to report you to the police. Especially if you’ve only just met them in a park.
"And then there’s the nightmare of the kiss on each cheek. It sounds so easy but you’d be amazed how often I get it wrong.
"Some women think this should be an air kiss and tilt their heads way over to the side, but I always take this to mean they didn’t even want the gesture of a kiss, which makes me all stammery and nervous when we start talking.
"Then you have those who swivel their heads too far round, so you end up kissing an ear, which is so unnerving I usually raise my head too quickly and knock their hat off.
"And then you get the ones who turn their heads too slowly, so you get the first kiss in the right place but land the second on their lips. Which sends out entirely the wrong message."
The TV star went on to conclude that no one will get a hug from him on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' - even if they win big and he even warns them in advance not to try for a celebratory embrace.
He concluded: "This is why, when I host 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' I always say to the contestants beforehand that even if they win big I will not be embracing or kissing them.
"They’re going to get a handshake and that’ll be that."
Tagged in Jeremy Clarkson Chris Tarrant