Jeremy Clarkson and the future of Top Gear

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just heard a news snippet on BBC Radio 4 that he has been suspended following an incident with a member of the production staff and the next episode of "Top Gear" has been cancelled.

 

[Zoidberg]

Extract from the BBC page

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31824040

Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended by the BBC "following a fracas" with a producer.

The corporation said the 54-year-old presenter had been suspended "pending an investigation".

"No one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday," it said.

Clarkson was given what he called his "final warning" last May after claims he used a racist word while filming the popular BBC motoring show.

At the time, he said the BBC had told him he would be sacked if he made "one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time".

 

[185143]

Top Gear is one of the few things actually worth on the BBC these days

 

[Trainfan344]

Poor Clarkson, hope they don't fire him personally.

 

[ExRes]

I'm sure it's a case of mistaken identity, they probably mixed him up with Richard Hammond in an ID parade

 

[Zoidberg]

Poor Clarkson, hope they don't fire him personally.

Perhaps they will fire him corporately

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am sure that there will be "media-types" who will cite the financial success of this show to the BBC and be prepared to make excuses for Clarkson until the advent of the "Second Coming"....

 

[GB]

I am sure that there will be "media-types" who will cite the financial success of this show to the BBC and be prepared to make excuses for Clarkson until the advent of the "Second Coming"....

...and?

 

[SS4]

I am sure that there will be "media-types" who will cite the financial success of this show to the BBC and be prepared to make excuses for Clarkson until the advent of the "Second Coming"....

I don't doubt it. I suspect the differences will be solved internally without termination of employment.

 

[bnm]

It's a great show when Clarkson isn't being oafish, bigoted and racist.

The show is bigger than the man, and Captain Slow and the Hamster could probably carry on without the great lumbering idiot.

But if there is to be a new presenter, I'd vote for Vicki Butler-Henderson.

 

[Heinz57]

Perhaps they will fire him corporately

Here here!

I suspect the differences will be solved internally without termination of employment.

I hope so, if Clarkson was fired that would spell the end of Top Gear for sure. Yeah they could replace him with someone else but he is the reason so many people watch TG, he makes the show!

I'm sure they will sort it out internally and not sack him, Auntie Beeb knows just how much cash Top Gear brings in for them, and he is one of - if not the - reason it has become so popular. Sack the most important person from one their highest grossing shows? Hmmm

Sack the producer he had the argument with instead!

 

[jp4712]

It's a great show when Clarkson isn't being oafish, bigoted and racist.

The show is bigger than the man, and Captain Slow and the Hamster could probably carry on without the great lumbering idiot.

But if there is to be a new presenter, I'd vote for Vicki Butler-Henderson.

Me too!

 

[Puffing Devil]

I can hear the sound of ITV management sharpening up their contracts......

 

[Welly]

Jeremy Clarkson makes such an excellent jester in the court of 21st Century BBC Political Correctness just like those medieval court jesters (usually village idiots) who used to poke fun at the powerful on behalf of the ordinary people.

 

[Kite159]

I can hear the sound of ITV management sharpening up their contracts......

Probably also interested in Clarkson's stake in "Top Gear", although it probably won't work on ITV with the advertising at risk (do you think ITV would have allowed that Peugeot piece on a couple weeks ago at the risk of Peugeot cancelling their advertising?

 

[Johnuk123]

Amazing how the BBC knowingly let sex offenders have free range for 40 years but get really upset after Clarkson aims a punch at a producer.

The last 3 episodes of Top Gear are postponed so it could be it's now finished for good on BBC.

With BBC being so cringe worthy pc it's a miracle he's lasted as long as he has.

Cue Clarkson to front Max Power on Sky.

 

[Welly]

The last 3 episodes of Top Gear are postponed so it could be it's now finished for good on BBC.

Oh Cock! :cry:

 

[bnm]

Probably also interested in Clarkson's stake in "Top Gear"

Clarkson doesn't have a stake in Top Gear. UK rights are with the BBC. Rest of the world rights and all marketing are with BBC Worldwide.

 

[Johnuk123]

Clarkson doesn't have a stake in Top Gear. UK rights are with the BBC. Rest of the world rights and all marketing are with BBC Worldwide.

He may have sold out some years ago but without him there is no show.

 

[richw]

Just heard on the radio Top Gear was earning the BBC £10m a year in revenue. I imagine it would have to be serious for them to risk that revenue. Other broadcasters I exdpect are rubbing their hands.

 

[bnm]

He may have sold out some years ago but without him there is no show.

How so? It's not his show.

 

[Johnuk123]

Just heard on the radio Top Gear was earning the BBC £10m a year in revenue. I imagine it would have to be serious for them to risk that revenue. Other broadcasters I exdpect are rubbing their hands.

He said he was on a final warning some months ago so it looks like they have had to do it by the book otherwise they would be in breach of their own guidelines.

I expect the BBC are already lining up a cracking new show involving some no-marks making cakes.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

How so? It's not his show.

It wouldn't be quite the same with Graham Norton.

 

[bnm]

It wouldn't be quite the same with Graham Norton.

Has he got the gig? News to me.

There are plenty of able and competent motoring journalists out there who aren't trigger happy oafish, racist bigots.

Or just have it as a two hander. Time for a revamp anyway. TG is getting far too samey.

 

[Kite159]

The BBC are lining up a brand new show for Sunday nights, "Celebrity Spelling" or "Celebrity Come Pole Dancing"

Top Gear is getting a bit samey, last few weeks I've taken to fast forwarding over the "celebrity" part, which can eat upto 15 minutes of movie promotion

 

[SS4]

The BBC are lining up a brand new show for Sunday nights, "Celebrity Spelling" or "Celebrity Come Pole Dancing"

Starring Jon Sargeant *shudder*

 

[Harbon 1]

Shame. Hope they sort it and carry Top Gear on, one of the only things worth watching on telly now. May as well cancel it if they want to bring a new front man in.

 

[Searle]

Amazing how the BBC knowingly let sex offenders have free range for 40 years but get really upset after Clarkson aims a punch at a producer.

Quite different considering there are 40 years between the incidents.

Personally, I don't think he will be fired. Probably suspended for a week and they'll just skip an episode of Top Gear and put it on in the end.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Amazing how the BBC knowingly let sex offenders have free range for 40 years but get really upset after Clarkson aims a punch at a producer.

That is extremely unfair. Firstly, you are comparing things that happened up to 40 years ago with something that's happened today. Clearly, the culture around sex offenders has changed massively during that time, and what might have been allowed to happen 40 years ago is certainly no reflection of what would be allowed to happen today. (Indeed, it's not implausible that 40 years ago, a major personality such as Clarkson might also have got away with aiming a punch at a producer in a way that obviously is not tolerated today - assuming that is in fact what he has done).

And secondly, on what evidence do you base your assertion that 'the BBC' (implied: as a whole) knowingly allowed sexual offences to take place in the past? I'm guessing, none at all, and that therefore you have made a very serious accusation that is without foundation. Clearly, some individuals at the BBC would have known about the offences, and the fact that those individuals did nothing to stop them is utterly reprehensible. But equally clearly, the vast majority of individuals and managers employed by the BBC at the time would not have known that anything bad was happening. Yes, those awful offences happened on BBC premises during filming of BBC programs, but trying to blame the entire BBC (as opposed to the individuals involved) for that and then drawing a comparison with Clarkson's treatment is frankly silly.

 

[table38]

Yet imagine the frothing and posturing from the usual suspects if it had been the Daily Mail who were employing paedophiles and letting them carry out their assaults on Associated Newspapers premises?

They would be asserting "they must have known what was going on", as they did with Rebekah Brooks and the News of the World phone hacking.

(Until it emerged out that the Daily Mirror was just as bad... funny how they have all gone very quiet now )

The "40 years ago" is a red herring, unless anyone is suggesting that child abuse was acceptable 40 years ago, and I am sure they are not.

 

[richw]

Has he got the gig? News to me.

There are plenty of able and competent motoring journalists out there who aren't trigger happy oafish, racist bigots.

Or just have it as a two hander. Time for a revamp anyway. TG is getting far too samey.

I think they would need to keep someone with similar personality for it to work if they got rid of him. His personality and style makes what would be a dull review entertaining.