Jeremy Clarkson has taken aim at the British public in his latest column, as he claimed that one particular aspect of society has ‘disappeared’ in the UK
TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has launched a blistering attack on the state of British manners after immersing himself in Downton Abbey. The 65-year-old columnist took a swipe at the conduct of Brits in his column after watching what he called a “completely preposterous” show. Despite his doubts about the hit series, he admitted that it did provide a depiction of “what Englishness is”.
According to Jeremy, Englishness is defined by “impeccable manners”, which includes standing when a woman enters the room and showing moderation with booze. Shifting from the picturesque image painted by the TV drama, Jeremy bemoaned the disappearing decorum he sees in modern Britain compared to the refined customs of the Downton Abbey era.
Using dining manners as a key example, Jeremy observed: “If you go out for dinner now, the pub or restaurant is extremely unlikely to feature a family who sit up straight and are impeccably polite to the staff.”
“Instead, it’s likely to be full of braying yobbos who talk with their mouths full and use their cutlery to point at things… No one strives to have good manners.”
Considering whether good manners have become a thing of the past, Jeremy decided that they are not entirely lost, noting that those clinging to politeness the most strongly are “the Arabs”.
Jeremy added in his Sunday Times column: “We had an actual Arab prince to the farm for lunch last week. Every time a lady came past the lunch table, he stood up and when our housekeeper arrived to clear away the plates, he leapt to his feet, helped her and even loaded the dishwasher.”
This is not the first instance of British public behaviour coming under scrutiny. A 2023 study by King’s College London examined parenting priorities and the emphasis placed on teaching good manners.
The research revealed that, although there is less focus on raising strictly obedient children, the importance of good manners remains vital, reports Gloucestershire Live..
The study, conducted by The Policy Institute at King’s College London, found that, unlike other countries where the importance of teaching good manners has waned, this value has remained constant in the UK.
Upon the release of the findings, Professor Bobby Duffy commented: “The qualities we’d like to see instilled in our children are important signals of what we value as a society.
“Good manners are still the quality we want to see most, there has been an increasing emphasis on the importance of hard work, and we’re also among the very most likely to value unselfishness.
“Instead, this is likely to reflect a more general shift towards valuing self-expression, while still wanting our children to be positive and productive contributors to society.”
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
