Jeremy Clarkson Lashes Out: Don't Visit Waiheke Island

It may have been recently rated one of the best places in the world to visit, but Waiheke Island has left Jeremy Clarkson cold.

Clarkson sent out a series of tweets denying allegations that he used a helicopter to fetch gravy while staying on Waiheke. He also advised people not to visit the island and claimed the story about "celebrity demands" came from a "Kiwi who's promoting his business by making stuff up about people who use it". 

My advice to anyone wishing to visit Waiheke Island is: don't.

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015 

The story seems to be coming from a Kiwi who's promoting his business by making stuff up about people who use it.

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015

The former Top Gear presenter's tweet refers to a story, in the Herald on Sunday and detailed strange demands of celebrities staying on the picturesque island. It was later picked up by the Daily Mail.

Details were revealed by Ed Coutts, owner and managing director of Waiheke Unlimited, which has dealt with celebrity demands on the island for the past 20 years.

According to Coutts, Clarkson sent a helicopter to Auckland four times for things like cigarettes - because it was too far to drive to the shop - a Monopoly game requested at 6.30pm and even gravy mix.

During another visit, he claimed the British presenter wanted a new, black-on-black Range Rover Sport with no mileage on the odometer delivered to the house just to look at it.

In a Twitter rant Clarkson vehemently denies the accusations, claiming they're all "nonsense".

According to the Mail, I once demanded a helicopter to get me some gravy. Where do they come up with this nonsense?

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015

He later clarified that he did not make any of the ridiculous demands and accused Coutts of "making stuff up".

To be clear, I've also never demanded a game of monopoly or a Range Rover so I could "look at it".

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015

I did ask the helicopter pilot if he'd get me a game of Risk. Much better than Monopoly. He offered to get gravy as well. I declined.

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015

Coutts said Clarkson was in New Zealand on business, but Clarkson wanted to make it clear he was not on company time.

It wasn't while we were filming for the BBC though. So none of you should be that bothered.

— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 7, 2015

Waiheke Island was recently rated one of the top 10 destinations in the world to visit.

The island was the No. 5 region to visit in Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2016 guide.

-NZ Herald