Chris Evans apologised on his BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show this morning, for a controversial ‘Top Gear’ stunt which was filmed near the Cenotaph over the weekend. On Sunday, host Matt Leblanc was pictured driving near the war memorial in a Ford Mustang, leaving large tyre tracks on the roads surrounding the monument.

Matt LeBlanc filming 'Top Gear'Matt LeBlanc filming 'Top Gear' in London.

Evans said he had not been directly involved in the shoot, but had seen the pictures this morning. "It doesn't matter what actually happened, it doesn't matter what the circumstances were that could explain this away,” he told listeners (via The Sun).

“What is important about this is what these images look like but they look entirely disrespectful, which of course was not and would not ever be the intention of the Top Gear team or Matt."

"These pictures were taken with a long lens camera from I believe Parliament Square but the point is that this does not look good at all, whatsoever.”

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"So on behalf of the Top Gear team and Matt, I would like to apologise unreservedly for what these images seem to portray. I completely understand all this furore, but the Top Gear team would never ever do that.”

"Retrospectively it was unwise to be anywhere even near the Cenotaph with this motor car. Once again we would like to unreservedly apologise.” The stunt was branded disrespectful by some, including Colonel Richard Kemp, a former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan.

Kemp told The Telegraph: "It is is gravely disrespectful. It beggars belief that they were ever allowed to film here. This is a sacred tribute to millions of people who have done far more for their country than Chris Evans and Matt Le Blanc ever will.”

"The BBC certainly should not have done this in the first place and I would urge them to make sure this does not appear in the final programme.” However a BBC insider told The Mirror that the pictures didn’t accurately portray what was happening.

"Truth is, the pic shown is not illustrative of what actually happened,” the insider said. "The stunts actually took place at a respectful distance away of around 40 metres from the monument, towards Parliament Square.”

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"All agreed in advance with Westminster Council. The picture gives the false impression it is closer to the cenotaph than what actually happened in reality. To emphasise, no manoeuvres took place at the cenotaph itself.”

Last week the show was also criticised by Chancellor George Osborne, who said noisy filming near Downing Street was distracting him from writing the Budget.

"Trying to write my Budget,despite noisy episode of BBC-TopGear being filmed outside on Horseguards Parade. Keep it down please @achrisevans,” The Chancellor tweeted.