Taylor breaks down during apology for sexist shirt as he delivers progress report on comet mission

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The scientist who caused a furore by wearing a sexist shirt as he gave a progress report on the Rosetta mission on Wednesday has made an emotional apology for his “big mistake”. Matt Taylor was more plainly dressed on Friday as he broke down in tears at a briefing, apparently struggling to speak before confessing: “I made a big mistake and I offended many people, and I am very sorry about this.”

Taylor’s gaudy clothing, including images of semi-naked women, sparked a row over his wardrobe and infuriated fellow scientists.

His apology during an update on the progress of the European Space Agency mission was greeted sympathetically by particle physicist Clara Nellist. “Impressed with Taylor from @ESA_Rosetta for admitting shirt choice was a mistake. Takes strength of character.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Dr Matt Taylor, the British scientist involved in the Rosetta mission, cries as he makes an apology for wearing an ‘offensive’ shirt.

Feminist science journalist Elizabeth Gibney said: “Said he made a big mistake and is v sorry. Then moved on to Philae science. Good stuff.”

Others were less impressed by the apology. @I_WillPearce tweeted: “The fact that Matt Taylor was bullied/forced/coerced into apologising for expressing his fashion taste makes me very sad.”

The controversy follows the revelations from the scientist’s sister Maxine that he could be “useless” in everyday life. Portraying her tattooed sibling as absent-minded, unable to find his car in the car park, and sometimes lacking in common sense, she told the Evening Standard, he didn’t like making decisions.

That, in the light of Taylor’s apparent failure to weigh up all the consequences of his sartorial, rather than scientific, image may have to change. At least when it comes to dress sense.

• This article was amended on 17 November 2014 to correct the name of the particle physicist Clara Nellist. An earlier version named her as Clare Nellist.