BBC attacks Top Gear for glamorising drink-driving after Clarkson sipped G&T during race to North Pole

It follows a complaint from a viewer who criticised the 'blatant use of alcohol while driving' during an episode of the hit BBC1 show.

The programme – which saw presenters James May and Jeremy Clarkson drinking gin and tonic in the cab of a truck – was described as 'grossly irresponsible'.

Controversial: Jeremy Clarkson enjoys a G&T while behind the wheel on Top Gear

The BBC Trust yesterday upheld the complaint, saying the show had sent out completely the wrong message about drink-driving, particularly to youngsters.

Its report said: 'The committee considered the scenes carefully and felt that drinking while driving did involve the misuse of alcohol.'

The controversy centred on an episode called Polar Special – aired last July at 8pm before the watershed – which featured a race between the three presenters.

Clarkson and May were filmed trying to reach the Magnetic North Pole in a pickup truck, ahead of Richard Hammond, who was in a sled pulled by dogs.

During the race, the two men were seen drinking gin and tonic in the cab of the truck.

But the programme's executive producer insisted the pair were not drunk or out of control of the vehicle, and claimed the footage was filmed in 'international waters' and therefore drink-driving laws did not apply.

Despite these claims, the BBC Trust ruled that the scenes 'could be seen to glamorise the misuse of alcohol'.

It also noted that 10 per cent of the programme's regular audience is under the age of 16.

But it accepted that drink had been introduced on one occasion for 'entertainment' to play up the luxury of their truck compared with the sled.

Ruling the scene would not be shown in future repeats of the show, the report added: 'We did not think the scenes of drinking while driving were editorially justified in the context of family entertainment.'