Top Gear’s Clarkson moves to London after affair claim

Six weeks ago, the Sunday Mirror claimed that Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was having a protracted affair with a colleague, identified the next day by its sister paper the Daily Mirror as 42-year-old Phillipa Sage (above).

Clarkson, a scourge of public hypocrites through his weekly newspaper columns, denied the claims vigorously, as did Sage. (His wife of 18 years, Frances, stayed tight-lipped.)

In typically bullish style, Clarkson texted his mother, who later spoke to the press: "I'm surprised to find that I'm the new Tiger Woods. Don't worry, I'm not."

Now, though, comes the news that Clarkson has bought a London flat and is living alone in it during the weeks, though apparently still returning to his Cotswolds home at weekends, where Frances remains.

Frances told the Daily Telegraph: "Jeremy has bought a flat in London. He will spend a few nights a week there, as Top Gear is filmed in London."

The 50-year-old, who is also Clarkson's manager, added: "We are still together. He will be coming back here."

In a newspaper column on Saturday, Clarkson reflected on his new bachelor existence: "When I moved recently into an unfurnished flat I spent the first evening sitting on the floor, wondering what is essential and what, really, is not.

"I'd take my clothes to the launderette and let someone in a nylon overall wash them for me. I'd need some pornography as well, so that would mean I'd need an internet." ·