Fearne Cotton said the trolls who forced fellow TV star Sue Perkins off Twitter after she was linked with the Top Gear hosting job are "awful, sad and pathetic".

The Great British Bake Off presenter was this weekend named as one of the bookies’ ­favourites to replace axed Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC motoring show.

But despite being quick to deny the rumours, Sue received death threats from Top Gear fans.

In a series of tweets today, she wrote:

Hundreds of followers replied to say they were “sending love” and hoped she would be back soon.

DJ and TV host Cotton wrote:

Sue, 45, tweeted back: “As do you, thanks darling.”

Fearne added: "Being online is a cowards dream. Just pathetic. These people should project their inner anger on somthing else."

All Fearne one: Star is supporting her friend (
Image:
Getty/FameFlynet)

Another fan, Lauren Peel, said: “We love you Sue, and hope you always choose cake over cars. Not because you’re a woman, because you’re a sensible person.”

Kayli Dawn added: “There’s a million more people that love & respect you over these malicious sick people.

“They’re an irrelevant minority!”

Before announcing her break from Twitter, Sue ­reiterated she was not interested in Top Gear by writing:

Clarkson, 55, was sacked by the BBC last month for attacking and verbally abusing Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon.

Co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May have refused to do the show without him.

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Clarkson is now thought to be considering making a car show for online service Netflix.

As well as Sue, Philip Glenister, Dermot O’Leary and Jodie Kidd have been linked to his old job.