text: Jeremy Clarkson last night launched into a bizarre rant about being sacked from the BBC, saying the upside meant he could now swear without being reprimanded. The former Top Gear presenter made his comments when he was guest of honour at a charity auction in the Cotswolds. Opening the auction in aid of Chipping Norton's lido, he said: 'In the olden days when I used to work for BBC, I couldn't say s*** - but I am not, so I will say s***.' Scroll down for video . Jeremy Clarkson pictured at the Chipping Norton charity gig, where he joked he was 'trawling the job centre' Hundreds of fans paid £15 a ticket to watch the former Top Gear presenter oversee the auction . Hundreds of fans paid £15 a ticket to watch Clarkson oversee the auction at Chipping Norton town Hall. He also joked about 'trawling the job centre' for a hosting job when he spotted an opening for the charity auction. In a typical Clarkson moment, he mistook a male bidder for a female but responded by saying: 'I have worked with James May, it is easy to get confused in these situations.' Clarkson, who celebrates his 55th birthday tomorrow, previously lived in a sprawling £900,000 house one mile outside the town. It was his first public appearance since he was sacked from the BBC for allegedly assaulting a producer in the now infamous row over a steak supper in a Yorkshire hotel. He was accused of punching producer Oisin Tymon following a day's filming. Clarkson was due to make his TV comeback as guest host of BBC1's Have I Got News for You on April 23 but he pulled out of the show two weeks before it was due to be filmed. Clarkson was pictured earlier in the day chatting to locals (left) and waving to photographers (right)
target: Jeremy Clarkson last night launched into a bizarre rant about being sacked .
  He claimed the upside was that he could now swear without punishment .
  Clarkson also mistook a male bidder for a female during charity gig .
  He later joked to the Cotswolds crowd that he was 'trawling the job centre'