A massively popular car show sparked religious outrage after its three hosts dressed up in burkas for a Boxing Day special.
According to the Daily Mail, Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond donned niqabs, a form of the burka where everything but the eyes are covered, in order to disguise themselves on the road. They also got fellow co-host James May to play along when they greeted him from hospital after he had sustained an injury in the Syrian desert.
But their joke backfired as Muslims rounded on them for mocking their religion.
Anjem Choudary, spokesperson for the group Islam4UK which proposes the implementation of Sharia law throughout Britain, said: 'The burka is a symbol of our religion and people should not make jokes about it in any way.
'It would have been equally bad even if they’d not been in a country mainly populated by Muslims.'
In the episode, watched by six million people, the trio drive specially customised sports cars to Bethlehem via Turkey, Syria and Jordan - a modern day re-enactment of the path travelled by the Three Wise Men.
While in Syria, their cars got stuck in the sand. The subsequent towing operation saw May being knocked to the ground and suffering a cut to his head. While he was taken to hospital, Clarkson and Hammond hatched a plan to disguise themselves as women in burkas so not to be seen diverting from the sands of the desert to a road.
Their choice of attire caused a storm online.
Some viewers took to Twitter to vent: This is probably the worst top gear special. Y the f*** r they wearing burkas!!?’
Another added: 'Top gear – the burka joke wasn’t funny.'
But one Tweeter user came to the show's defence and wrote: 'Top gear was one of the best bits of tv this Christmas, if you don't like it . TURN IT OFF!!! Don't go on tv and moan about it.'
This is not the first time Clarkson has caused a storm over a burka. In an episode in July this year, he said that he had seen a Muslim woman wearing saucy underwear beneath her gown. - IOL