According to reports in The Sun today, the Top Gear team have been secretly taking the mickey out of Strictly Come Dancing, in Morse code.

The jibes were broadcast last week in Morse code dot-dash-beeps which were dubbed over the soundtrack of the show. As the show’s mystery racing driver, The Stig, raced round a track in a Lamborghini, the message was tapped out, “Strictly Come Dancing is crap”. Another message spelled out, “I love cheese”.

The jibes went unnoticed by most viewers but were quickly picked up by people who understand Morse code. One viewer said, “I know Morse code when I hear it so I played it back and worked out what they were saying. It’s typical Top Gear to slag off Strictly — can you imagine Clarkson in a sequined top?”

Jeremy had already had a dig at Strictly in his Sun column and apparently, Top Gear’s producers are planning more of the same for this week’s show.

A BBC source said, “It’s all just a bit of fun. Top Gear is known for being irreverent so this is just the producers’ idea of a joke.”