'The Grand Tour' co-host Richard Hammond criticised for linking eating ice cream with being gay

"The Grand Tour" co-host Richard Hammond has been lambasted by some viewers of the motoring show after he suggested he did not eat ice cream because he was not gay, $4

His comments were made in front of a live studio audience in the "Happy Finnish Christmas" episode of the show, which first broadcast on Amazon Prime on December 23. 

Co-host Jeremy Clarkson gestured towards a photo of the light-coloured interior of a Rolls Royce, joking that you would not be able to enjoy a Magnum ice cream inside.

Hammond responded: "It's all right, I don't eat ice cream. It's something to do with being straight."

Clarkson and the show's other co-host James May wrinkled their noses in apparent disgust as the audience laughed and clapped.

Clarkson, $4, said: "Why are you applauding him? What do you mean? Are you saying everyone who likes ice cream ... you're saying all children are homosexual?"

Hammond retorted that "ice cream is a bit, you know," before adding: "There's nothing wrong with it, but a grown man eating an ice cream, you know, it's a bit, it's that way rather than that way, it is ..."

Clarkson cut him off by looking down the camera lens and declaring: "Welcome to the inside of Richard Hammond's head."

Hammond continued: "I'm right. I can't believe you can't see that. It's easy, it's in front of you."

Clarkson then appeared to try to revert the conversation back to the car: "You could enjoy a 99 in there," he said, referring to the ice cream cone.

May then cut in: "You mean a 69?"

Clarkson responded: "99. But you couldn't have the chocolate thingy," and gestured at the chocolate flake that is usually inserted atop a 99 ice cream.

"My case rests!" Hammond declared triumphantly.

The exchange was strongly criticised and parodied by Twitter users:

Richard Hammond's representatives and Amazon were not immediately available for comment.

Amazon is rumoured to have paid about $250 million for "The Grand Tour," which stars the trio of former "Top Gear" presenters. $4, although it declined to share specific numbers.

Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through hispersonal investment company Bezos Expeditions.