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'Millionaire' viewers slam show over Jeremy Clarkson's 'crass' Sean Lock joke

Watch: Jeremy Clarkson jokes about late comedian Sean Lock on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Viewers have hit out at Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? for airing a joke about Sean Lock so soon after his death.

The comedian – who died in August aged 58 after a battle with cancer - was brought up by host Jeremy Clarkson as Jimmy Carr took the hot seat on the celebrity edition of the ITV show.

Clarkson and Carr had been teasing each other, with 8 Out Of 10 Cats star Carr joking that people preferred the show’s old host Chris Tarrant.

Read more: Jimmy Carr 'sick with grief' after death of 8 Out Of 10 Cats co-star Sean Lock

And at one point, Clarkson quipped that the audience weren’t clapping for Carr as they had been “promised Sean Lock”.

Jeremy Clarkson hosts 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' (PA)
Jeremy Clarkson hosts 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' (PA)

Many viewers thought the comment was inappropriate.

One said on Twitter that it was in “bad taste”, adding: “Absolutely shameful Sean Lock joke!”

Another said it was “very poorly timed”, while one tweeted that it was “crass”.

“Was that really a Sean Lock gag on #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire? Bit too soon,” said another.

File photo dated 27/03/06 of Sean Lock performing at the annual Teenage Cancer Trust's benefit week of concerts, from the Royal Albert Hall, west London. Sean Lock, best known for panel shows 8 Out Of 10 Cats and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, as well as sitcom 15 Storeys High, who has died from cancer at the age of 58. Issue date: Wednesday August 18, 2021.
Sean Lock died in August. (PA)

Others pointed out that the programme was probably filmed before Lock’s death.

However, fans thought in that case it should have been edited out.

One said: “If filmed before Sean Lock's passing then it was a playful wisecrack at Jimmy's expense and the blame lies with ITV for not editing it out. Obviously, if filmed after his death it's incredibly bad taste."

Read more: Jeremy Clarkson admits his farming attempts have been an 'expensive failure'

Another posted: “Was it filmed before or after he passed away? Maybe Sean would find it funny because of his sense of humour but seems a bit insensitive to say Sean Lock should have been there instead, when he's dead.”

Yahoo has contacted ITV for comment.