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Top Gear's Richard Hammond shot dead his friend's peacock, according to a news report.

The presenter was reportedly left mortified after he accidentally killed the bird while shooting pheasant on a friend's estate.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Richard was incredibly embarrassed. He loves shooting and often goes out on the estate neighbouring his grounds.

"The guy who owns the estate also owns peacocks. One flew out and Richard just reacted. He was hugely apologetic."

Richard - who lives in a £2 million six-bedroom castle in Herefordshire - isn't the only 'Top Gear' presenter to come under fire recently.

His co-star Jeremy Clarkson is currently under investigation over claims he punched one of the producers on the BBC One driving series.

However, while upcoming episodes of the show have since been cancelled, the 53-year-old host will be returning to the channel to front the upcoming series of Have I Got News For You.

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Meanwhile, the inquiry will be told that during his drunken tirade against Tymon Oisin, Clarkson allegedly branded him a “lazy, Irish c***” before splitting his lip.

Oisin later went to hospital in Northallerton for medical help after feeling dizzy.

It is believed Clarkson denies using xenophobic language.

James May has already claimed he was “blind drunk” and doesn’t know what happened.

Put on the spot by reporters on his London doorstep last week, he claimed he was not there when Clarkson hit his colleague, adding: “I think he has been involved in a bit of a dust-up, but I don’t think it’s that serious.”

But Tymon’s version of events is markedly different.

One friend said: “Oisin credits James and Richard for stopping Jeremy. If this investigation doesn’t get to what actually happened, he knows he has the option of going to the police.

"He doesn’t want the truth whitewashed out of existence.”

Clarkson's career in pictures