LONDON – British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson said Friday he was sorry for calling Prime Minister Gordon Brown a "one-eyed Scottish idiot."

The host of the BBC's popular car show "Top Gear" made the comments during a news conference in Sydney.

"In the heat of the moment, I made a remark about the prime minister's personal appearance for which, upon reflection, I apologize," Clarkson said in a statement issued through the BBC.

Scotland-born Brown lost the sight in one eye in an accident playing rugby as a teenager. He had surgery to save the sight in his other eye.

Clarkson's remarks were criticized by politicians and the Royal National Institute of Blind People. The charity's chief executive, Lesley-Anne Alexander, said the description was offensive.

"Any suggestion that equates disability with incompetence is totally unacceptable," she said.

Clarkson, 48, is one of the BBC's most popular personalities. He is renowned for his edgy humor at the expense of environmentalists and the perceived forces of political correctness.