Jeremy Clarkson was never going to have an easy ride on Have I Got News For You but the panel seemed to take particular delight in ripping the former Top Gear presenter to shreds last night.
It was the first time he had appeared on the comedy show since the “fracas” with producer Oisin Tymon that caused his departure from the BBC earlier this year.
Clarkson was forced to pull out of the last series as the furore continued, and it was still the butt of many a joke as he hosted the opening episode of HIGNFY’s 50th series.
But under a stream of jibes by Ian Hislop, Paul Merton, Richard Osman and journalist Camilla Long, he managed to roll with the punches.
Asked if he had any regrets about the now infamous row over a steak dinner, he replied: “Yeah – apart from the pay rise.”
Clarkson will be starring in a new motoring programme on Amazon Prime with his former Top Gear co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond.
Minutes into HIGNFY, Osman jibed: “Are you sure it's Amazon Prime and not Amazon past-their-prime?”
Clarkson did not reply to the barb, which was one of many from Osman, who quickly became a favourite among viewers from Twitter.
In a segment about the beleaguered car maker Volkswagen, he made a sly reference to Clarkson's Top Gear successor, saying: “I think it's one of those questions you need an expert on cars to deal with ... Jeremy, have you got Chris Evans' phone number?”
Clarkson replied: “I am not allowed on the BBC to use the C-word. Cars.”
But after a lengthy discussion on motoring, he said: “What are they going to do, f****** sack me? I've just thought of that - they can't, can they? It's quite good fun.”
And when Osman aimed another barb at Clarkson, Long jumped in urging: “Go on Jeremy, punch him!”
“You remember how to punch, right?” Osman replied, starting Merton mimicking a fight scene that had the audience in stitches.
Here are some of the best quotes and exchanges from the show.
The new series of Have I Got News For You is on Fridays at 9pm on BBC 1.
