Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan has admitted to once telling a BBC producer to “get stuffed”, after he decided to speak Irish to X-Men star Michael Fassbender.
The former Jordan F1 Team owner carried out the grid walks for the BBC during 2013, where at the Canadian Grand Prix he spoke Irish to Fassbender, who was brought up in Ireland.
Jordan discussed the fascinating story on the new ‘Formula For Success’ podcast, which involves Jordan and ex-F1 driver David Coulthard.
Whilst discussing the incident with Coulthard, Jordan explained why he spoke Irish to Fassbender and how a producer “went absolutely ballistic” at him for speaking in a foreign language.
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“Michael – even with such a strong German name – was actually brought up and educated in Kerry in Ireland. He’s a fluent Irish speaker,” Jordan said on the ‘Formula For Success’ podcast.
“I remember going on the pit walk in Montreal, and I started to speak as Gaeilge to Michael, as I normally would have done.
“(A producer) from the BBC went absolutely ballistic asking what I was doing speaking a foreign language on the great BBC?!
“I said, ‘oh, get stuffed’ – or whatever I said. Fassbender tells this story to everyone, because it was kind of unique that someone would just use the Irish language.”
Jordan went on to discuss how the conversation with Fassbender started in the first place, and how he managed to catch the Hollywood star on such a busy grid.
“I will have a look around because as I’ve already said there seems to be a war going on with all the people in X-Men because they all seem to be here,” he added.
“I did, out of the owner of my eye, see Michael Fassbender and I’m trying to work out where I can find him.”
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The incident wasn’t the only time that Jordan was told off on-air, with the Irishman having also been told off for swearing, whilst discussing former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.
“We’ve been allowed in there, usually for a bollocking, he usually chastises me for something I’ve said that I shouldn’t have said,” Jordan said ahead of the 2012 British Grand Prix.
“Apologies for the word that Eddie used just then, he meant a telling off,” former BBC F1 presenter Jake Humphrey said.