Top Gear will face no further investigation into Matt LeBlanc's controversial Cenotaph stunt

The BBC Trust refused to take the appeal further on the basis that it had "no reasonable prospect of succeeding"
Controversial: Matt LeBlanc was involved in the stunt
BBC Worldwide/Gus Gregory
Emma Powell14 July 2016
The Weekender

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Top Gear will face no further investigation into its controversial Cenotaph stunt, the BBC Trust has announced.

Viewers complained that the BBC had attempted to “shrug off” concerns with a "cut and paste apology" after Matt LeBlanc was filmed doing "doughnuts" near the memorial in London's Whitehall in March.

The BBC “sincerely apologised” at the time and said the Cenotaph was never intended to feature in the programme.

A statement from the broadcaster read: "The Cenotaph was at no point intended to feature in the programme and therefore will not appear in the final film. However, we are acutely aware of how some of the images in the press look via the angle and distance they were taken and for which, as Chris Evans has already said, we sincerely apologise.

"We would like to make it absolutely clear that the Top Gear team has the utmost respect for the Cenotaph, what it stands for, and those heroic individuals whose memory it serves so fittingly."

Chris Evans, who was a presenter on the BBC motoring show at the time, apologised "unreservedly" for what was deemed a “gravely disrespectful” stunt, and made clear that he was not involved.

It was reported that the stunt fractured relations between Evans and his co-host, but LeBlanc later dismissed such claims.

The BBC apologised once again after two people remained dissatisfied with the broadcaster's initial response, which they deemed insufficient.

The complainants said the BBC was attempting to "shrug off" the incident with "cut and paste" responses which they argued were "insulting and amateurish".

But the trust has confirmed it will not take the appeal further on the basis that it had "no reasonable prospect of succeeding" and said the main issues of the complaints related to show planning, which rested with the BBC rather than the regulator.

Several celebrities defended the stunt including David Coulthard, who said it was a mistake made on a lack of understanding, and Stephen Mangan, who described the stunt as "a man driving a car down a street".

Top Gear Media Launch - In pictures

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