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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 13, 2015 9:54:32 GMT
Clarkson To Face BBC Disciplinary Panel By End Of Week Clarkson is surounded by media as he leaves his home in west London March 12 2015 PA Clarkson at Chelsea's woeful Champions League match Wednesday nightJenny BoothLast updated at 2:48PM, March 12 2015Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter who was suspended after allegedly punching a producer in a row over a cheese platter, is to face a disciplinary panel by the end of the week which will decide his fate. Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland who conducted the investigation after Newsnight falsely implicated Lord McAlpine in a paedophile ring, was appointed today to chair the panel. A formal disciplinary letter was being sent to the presenter, summoning him to a hearing by the end of the week where witnesses will be called. Clarkson’s friend and constituency MP, David Cameron, said that he hoped the situation could be resolved so his children would not be left “heartbroken”. “I don’t know exactly what happened. He is a constituent of mine, he is a friend of mine, he is a huge talent,” the prime minister told BBC Midlands Today. “I see that he said he regrets some of what happened. All I would say - because he is a talent and he does amuse and entertain so many people, including my children who’ll be heartbroken if Top Gear is taken off air - I hope this can be sorted out because it is a great programme and he is a great talent.” Reports suggest the star had been unhappy at being unable to get hot food at Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hawes, North Yorkshire, when the crew arrived back late after a long day’s filming. The hotel’s chef had gone home and the stars were offered cold platters. According to insiders, Clarkson blamed producer Oisin Tymon for not arranging hot food and demanded a steak. The presenter is said to have referred to what ensued as “handbags and pushing”. Asked if the BBC was wrong to suspend him, Mr Cameron said: “I don’t know what happened. Every organisation has to be able to be free to manage its talent and to say to people, ‘you can do this’, or ‘you can’t do that’, so I don’t want to interfere in the running of the BBC.” He added: “The prime minister has many responsibilities, sadly securing the future of Top Gear isn’t one of them.” Nearly 750,000 people from across the world have signed an online petition demanding that the outspoken host be reinstated. Tony Hall, the BBC director general, said that the internal investigation would “get the people who are impacted by this together”. He told the Guardian: “There is a lot of speculation, we have got to establish the facts and I intend to do that before we come to a final decision. That is what we are about to do.” Speaking yesterday, Lord Hall also said he was a “fan” of Clarkson, but added that allegations of a fracas were “serious”. Yesterday, the 54-year-old presenter joked as he left his flat in Kensington amid a media scrum. He said: “I’ve been suspended haven’t I? I’m just off to the job centre. At least I’m going to be able to get to the Chelsea match tonight.” Asked if his suspension was over a row about food he said “no, no, no” but said “yes” when asked if he had any regrets about what had happened. Clarkson was photographed in the crowd at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s game against Paris St-Germain last night. When questioned on whether he supported the Top Gear presenter, Clarkson’s co-host James May said: “In many ways no, I have said many times before the man is a knob, but I quite like him. It’s all getting a bit ridiculous.” Asked what he could remember about the row, May said: “Not very much, I was blind drunk.” A lawyer for Mr Tymon said his client “intends to await the outcome of the BBC investigation and will make no comment until that investigation is complete”. Clarkson could walk away from the show when his contract runs out at the end of the month. All three of the show’s hosts were understood to be days away from signing new contracts that would have kept them at the wheel of the show for another three years when Clarkson was suspended. The BBC owns the rights to the Top Gear brand, which is valued at £50 million, and includes the show, DVD rights and live shows, raising the prospect of Top Gear continuing on the BBC while Clarkson takes a similar show to one of its rivals. Two episodes of this series have been postponed and the future of the third and final episode is unclear after the bust-up which took place after filming in Newcastle. This is the latest in a long line of controversies which has seen the presenter offend foreign diplomats, viewers, MPs and his own bosses at the BBC. Clarkson was put on what was called his final warning last year following a racism row after claims he used the N-word while reciting the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe during filming of the BBC2 programme. Nigel Farage told LBC radio that he found Top Gear very entertaining and deliberately provocative. He added: “I’m quite certain that if, as Ukip party leader, I punched one of our officials, I think I would be in considerable hot water.” Asked if he could replace Clarkson, he replied: “It’s a lovely idea.” www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4380087.ece
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 13, 2015 10:09:47 GMT
Clarkson To Be Summoned for BBC Hearing Jeremy Clarkson is “only probably” a Top Gear presenterKaya Burgess, Adam Sage, David Charter and David SandersonLast updated at 12:01AM, March 13 2015 Jeremy Clarkson reported himself to a BBC executive over his altercation with a Top Gear producer despite no complaint being made by the alleged victim. The presenter alerted Danny Cohen, the director of television, to the “fracas” he had last week with a producer after he is said to have demanded steak at a hotel rather than the cold platter of cheese or meat on offer. Clarkson had already been given a final warning by the BBC over an alleged racist nursery rhyme, amid reports that Mr Cohen wanted to suspend him. He was “intensely relaxed” about his suspension yesterday, a source close to him said, and changed his biography on Twitter to say that he was only “probably” the presenter of Top Gear. At a staff meeting on Monday, Clarkson told the programme’s crew about the incident with Oisin Tymon at a North Yorkshire hotel last Wednesday, and said he had contacted Mr Cohen. A disciplinary process then began, which led to Clarkson’s suspension, the cancelling of Wednesday’s filming session, the postponement of the next two episodes, and concerns about commercial implications for the BBC. Clarkson has been sent a letter summoning him to a disciplinary hearing. Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the BBC director-general, indicated yesterday that the presenter will come face to face with Mr Tymon during the inquiry. It is being overseen by Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC executive who handled the inquiry into a Newsnight investigation that falsely accused a Conservative peer of a child abuse scandal. Lord Hall said: “We have to get the people who are impacted by this together. There is a lot of speculation. We have got to establish the facts and I intend to do that before we come to a final decision.” It is believed that the BBC is preparing for maximum loss of revenue of about £1 million if the postponed episodes are never made. There are concerns that foreign broadcasters will seek compensation for breach of contract if the episodes are not provided, while there are fears overseas about Top Gear without Clarkson. The franchise has been broadcast in 170 countries, with some showing the British version. The programme brings in tens of millions of pounds each year for BBC Worldwide. An executive at an insurance broker specialising in the media industry suggested that the BBC may have ensured that Clarkson would be liable for any loss of its earnings from Top Gear. It was common for broadcasters to insure against the loss of production expenses when a celebrity goes “rogue”. Edel Ryan, of JLT Speciality, said: “Broadcasters have to consider the options available to them to protect their liability in this area.” Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, said that the onus was on the BBC to decide Clarkson’s future. Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, said he was a fan of Top Gear but added: “If I punched one of our officials, I think I would be in considerable hot water.” A family who say they overheard Clarkson in the Simonstone Hotel, Hawes, claim the presenter shouted for more than half an hour, telling his colleague he would have him fired and that the BBC was “getting worse”. Sue Ward, 54, told Sky News: “He said he hadn’t done his job properly, it was ridiculous that there was nothing to eat — obviously there was lots of expletives in between all this.” A petition to reinstate Clarkson has amassed more than 750,000 signatures. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4380517.ece
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Post by dit on Mar 14, 2015 23:42:33 GMT
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Post by thestig on Mar 15, 2015 11:36:10 GMT
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Post by dit on Mar 15, 2015 12:38:14 GMT
Agreed. I couldn't believe this when I read it this morning. Surely this 'senior BBC TV executive' has done the BBC no favours, especially if he's actively involved in the investigation? There seems to be a great deal going on behind the scenes that we, the public, are never going to be allowed to know about. |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 15, 2015 15:34:07 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 15, 2015 15:34:44 GMT
Top Gear not dead — just in neutralDominic Tobin Published: 15 March 2015  TOP GEAR is engulfed in controversy — again — but according to sources at the BBC the show must go on. Senior producers are continuing to edit pre-filmed segments of the final three episodes of the current series, which have been canned for the time being pending an internal investigation of a “fracas” that resulted in the suspension of its presenter Jeremy Clarkson last week. A BBC source said that the corporation had plans to broadcast the footage, no matter what the conclusion of the investigation. “These aren’t going to be the Nixon tapes,” said the source, in a reference to secret recordings of the former US president Richard Nixon that surfaced only 40 years later. In a filmed segment that was meant to be shown tonight, the presenters are handed a budget to buy a classic convertible from the 1970s. With Clarkson in a Fiat 124 Spider, James May in a Peugeot 304 and Richard Hammond in an MGB GT, they are then told to behave and dress like the car’s stereotypical owners, which unsurprisingly has Hammond parading in a flat cap.  A race between a P1, a 918 and a LaFerrari is still in the works Staff are also making plans for a bonus episode of the show this spring, which was revealed last month in Driving. It is due to feature the first showdown on a track between the McLaren P1,the Porsche 918 Spyder and the Ferrari LaFerrari — three of the fastest road cars yet built, with a combined value of more than £2.5m. It is understood that the companies are still attempting to get hold of the cars (all three models are sold out) in preparation for the event, which has been billed as the road test of the century. The three supercar companies aren’t the only ones throwing their support behind Top Gear. The UK car industry has also rallied around the beleaguered show, claiming that even though it is often forthright in its opinions about their cars it is an essential part of the British motoring landscape, and, as the best-watched TV programme in the world, according to the BBC, has an unrivalled ability to create interest in their models. “Top Gear has been tremendously successful in giving the motor industry a high profile,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, last week. “We would like to see that continue and [for it to] maintain its popularity.” Clarkson was suspended by the BBC last Tuesday after an incident at a hotel in North Yorkshire. The presenter reportedly lost his temper with a producer when told that there was no hot food available after a day’s filming. His suspension throws the long-term future of the show in doubt and sparked the creation of an online petition calling for the BBC to reinstate him. At the time of going to press the total number of signatories was approaching 1m. According to the BBC, the episode due to be aired tonight will be replaced by an hour-long documentary on the Red Arrows.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04cg6pd  Tonight’s episode would have featured 1970s dresswww.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/ingear/cars/article1529785.ece
At least in the US BBCAmerica is running The Perfect Road Trip 2 on Monday in the TG new episode time slot.  So we are being partially punished, we get Jeremy and Richard but no James 
BBC AMERICA premieres the two-part special, Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip Italy, starting this Monday, March 16. The special replaces previously scheduled episodes of Season 22. Over two weeks, viewers will follow hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond on their journey to the island named after Ford’s iconic two-door coupe of the 1970s – Capri. With any car (or boat or bike) they choose for all or parts of the journey, their mission is simple – to have the most fun possible on and off the road, as well as on the track. Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip Italy premieres Monday, March 16, 9:00pm ET and Monday, March 23, 9:00pm ET.
www.bbcwpressroom.com/bbc-america/programs/top-gear-the-perfect-road-trip-italy/
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 15, 2015 15:35:52 GMT
This reminds of some TG fan fiction I've read |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 15, 2015 15:52:11 GMT
Agreed. I couldn't believe this when I read it this morning. Surely this 'senior BBC TV executive' has done the BBC no favours, especially if he's actively involved in the investigation? There seems to be a great deal going on behind the scenes that we, the public, are never going to be allowed to know about. Doesn't the BBC have any rules regarding employees, especially high ranking ones, blabbing to the "press" during an ongoing investigation? Comparing Clarkson to Savile is beyond the pale. I feel sorry for Oisin Tymon who is now being harassed and threatened by low lifes |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 17, 2015 15:03:15 GMT
BBC loses 4m viewers as Clarkson awaits fate Jeremy Clarkson will be called to give evidence at the inquiry this week [BBC]Kaya Burgess Published at 12:01AM, March 17 2015 Pressure built on the BBC yesterday for a swift decision on Jeremy Clarkson’s fate as millions of viewers abandoned BBC Two following the suspension of Top Gear from the schedules. The inquiry into the “fracas” that saw Clarkson allegedly leave Oisin Tymon, a Top Gear producer, needing hospital treatment for a split lip, began yesterday. Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC’s Scotland director who led an investigation into Newsnight in 2012, is due to hear evidence from the presenter and producer as well as other cast or crew who may have witnessed the incident. It is understood that the hearings will take place in London away from Broadcasting House and that the two protagonists will have legal representation during the meetings. Mr MacQuarrie has reportedly not called any witnesses from outside the BBC, such as the staff of the Yorkshire Dales hotel where the incident took place, and will prepare a report for senior BBC bosses, who are believed to want a speedy resolution with Clarkson’s contract due to expire in two weeks. Clarkson was seen leaving his London flat yesterday but declined to comment on the disciplinary proceedings. Asked if he was en route to meet BBC bosses, he said: “I’m going for lunch with a friend.” The BBC has refused to put a time-frame on the inquiry or specify when Clarkson will be called to give evidence, though it is thought to be in the first half of this week. The investigation was leant a sense of urgency by the exodus of almost four million viewers on Sunday night due to the suspension of Top Gear from the TV listings. The final three episodes of the current series have been pulled, including guest appearances by Gary Lineker, which would have been shown on Sunday. The motoring show was watched by 5.1 million viewers on Sunday March 8, but its replacement, a repeat of the documentary Red Arrows: Inside the Bubble, drew only 1.3 million viewers, just over a quarter of the usual audience share. Thousands of viewers are thought to have complained to the BBC over the suspension while Ofcom received more than 100 complaints. Taking advantage of the altered schedule, Dave, the comedy channel, ditched the QI quiz show from its usual Sunday 8pm slot and instead showed a two-hour Top Gear special. The channel saw a 44 per cent leap in viewing figures to more than 335,000. This will fuel fears at the BBC that Clarkson could take legions of fans with him if he leaves the corporation for a rival broadcaster when his contract runs out at the end of this month. It is understood that Sky is not in the running to sign him, but ITV have declined to comment on rumours that they are preparing a multi-million pound bid. Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond are due to appear at four live shows in Norway next week, just days before their contracts end. A BBC Worldwide spokesman said: “At present, the forthcoming Top Gear Live shows will run as scheduled.” Ben Collins, the previously anonymous racing driver who was known as The Stig on Top Gear for eight years, told the Radio Times yesterday that the show could thrive without Clarkson and said the show could reinvent itself in the same way the James Bond franchise takes on new faces. Perry McCarthy, who was The Stig from 2002 to 2003, disagreed and said that Top Gear would be a “diluted product” without Clarkson. “I don’t think it will have the value that it did, here and overseas,” he said. Clarkson is now odds on at 8-11 to quit the BBC show, said Coral, the bookmaker. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4383930.ece
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 13:16:32 GMT
From Variety BBC America to Feel Pinch of ‘Top Gear’ Suspension  MARCH 11, 2015 | 10:47AM PTNNA SOLCOVA/ISIFA/GETTY IMAGES Cynthia Littleton Managing Editor: Television The prospect of the BBC hit “Top Gear” scrapping the rest of its season due to the suspension of host Jeremy Clarkson is bad news for the Beeb’s U.S. outpost, BBC America. “Top Gear,” which revolves around cars and the antics of hosts Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, ranks as one of the cabler’s highest-rated shows. Since the Jan. 26 premiere of season 22 on BBC America, the show has been by far the most-watched program on the cabler with an average audience of 823,000 viewers in Nielsen’s live-plus-three ratings. In live-plus-seven, the first four episodes of the 10-episode season have averaged 915,000 viewers. For the coming week, BBC America said it will fill the void with a “Top Gear” rerun. The series was scheduled to air three more episodes in its current season. The BBC confirmed the show will be suspended from its regular Sunday broadcast for the coming week, and the BBC News reported Wednesday that the remaining three episodes of the show’s 10-episode season are unlikely to air at all. BBC America, however, is working with “Top Gear” distributor BBC Worldwide to possibly fill the void with a two-part “Top Gear” special that has yet to air in the U.S. or the U.K. BBC Worldwide is the parent company of BBC America, but last year it struck a deal to sell half of the channel to AMC Networks, which now manages BBC America. Clarkson was suspended due to a “fracas” with a “Top Gear” producer that is under investigation, the BBC said on Tuesday. The show has become a major franchise and export for the Beeb, airing in more than 200 territories worldwide. Clarkson has run afoul of BBC management in the past, and the show is no stranger to controversy. “Top Gear’s” popularity is driven by the globe-trotting stunts and competitive relationship among the three hosts. Beyond his “Top Gear” gig, Clarkson is an established journalist and political columnist for the Sun who is known for his blunt style and often polarizing positions. variety.com/2015/tv/news/bbc-america-to-feel-pinch-of-top-gear-suspension-1201450617/
‘Top Gear’ Co-presenters Refuse to Continue Show Without Jeremy Clarkson MARCH 19, 2015 | 02:49PM PTSTEVE HAAG / GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES 'There is a feeling that it is all of them or none of them'Leo Barraclough LONDON — “Top Gear” presenters James May and Richard Hammond refused to shoot the show while their co-host Jeremy Clarkson was suspended. The BBC wanted to press ahead with the final three episodes in the present season without Clarkson, while an investigation is carried out into allegations that he punched the show’s producer Oisin Tymon, according to a BBC executive. The episodes would have used several recorded segments with Clarkson, and another with May and Hammond in the studio, but negotiations stalled, the unnamed source told the Daily Mirror. “They didn’t want to do it without Jeremy, so the talks didn’t get off the ground. There is a feeling that it is all of them or none of them,” the exec said. The investigation into the altercation, which is believed to have been sparked by the failure of the producer to organize a steak dinner at the end of a day’s filming, is being carried out by Ken MacQuarrie, head of BBC Scotland. MacQuarrie will deliver his report next week to BBC director general Tony Hall, who will decide Clarkson’s fate. Clarkson is already on a final warning after he used racist language while shooting the show. The BBC is also focusing on the role of the show’s exec producer Andy Wilman, who has been a close friend of Clarkson’s since they went to the same private school together. According to one report, a BBC executive is going to be put above Wilman in order to keep Clarkson in check. “I think that people do see a way to resolve this, and that is by putting someone strong in to manage the show and manage Clarkson. He is a brilliant broadcaster — everyone can see that,” a senior BBC figure said. variety.com/2015/tv/news/top-gear-co-presenters-refuse-to-continue-show-without-jeremy-clarkson-1201456465/ |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 13:51:03 GMT
Top Gear hosts ‘refused to carry on without Clarkson’Sonia ElksLast updated at 1:11PM, March 19 2015 Jeremy Clarkson’s co-hosts reportedly refused to finish filming the rest of the current series of Top Gear without their suspended co-star. James May and Richard Hammond were apparently approached by the BBC to host remaining studio segments for the series as a duo after Clarkson was suspended over an alleged “fracas” with one of the show’s producers. They rejected the offer, saying that they “didn’t want to do it without Jeremy”, a BBC executive reportedly said. Clarkson is now thought to have given evidence to an internal BBC tribunal over the row with the producer, Oisin Tymon, which led to his suspension. He is alleged to have verbally abused Mr Tymon and threatened to have him sacked before punching him in an argument over the lack of a hot dinner at their hotel after a day’s filming. May and Hammond are likely to be called as witnesses, though May said last week that he had no memory of the incident because he was “blind drunk” at the time. The BBC has faced protests from angry viewers after it withdrew the final three episodes of the Top Gear series while it carries out an investigation into the incident. It is thought to have lost millions of viewers over the decision to cancel planned broadcasts of the top-rated show. Clarkson has hinted that he may walk away from the corpration over the row, the latest in a series of scandals during his career as the face of Top Gear. He said last year that he was put on a final warning after he was accused of using a racial slur while reciting the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe in an outtake that was never broadcast. Bosses said he would be sacked if he made “one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time”, he wrote in a column for The Sun newspaper. He added: “It’s inevitable that one day, someone, somewhere will say that I’ve offended them, and that will be that.” All three presenters have been making light of their work hiatus. James May said he has been getting to grips with DIY and housework in a series of tweets with the hashtag #stillunemployed. “Once I’ve done the plumbing, I’m going to fire up Little Honda to see if Norman Tebbit’s ‘on yer bike’ philosophy works. #StillUnemployed,” he wrote today. “Seriously, if you really are unemployed, good luck to you. It’s not funny in reality.” Hammond meanwhile posted a picture of walking with his dog on the micro-blogging site, writing: “Not trying to be cryptic, just enjoying a gorgeous morning. Off. “ www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4386905.ece
James May and Richard Hammond refuse to film Top Gear without Jeremy ClarksonThe two co-hosts rejected an offer to present the last three shows without the suspended star Top Gear presenters James May, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond Photo: EPABy Bill Gardner 8:01AM GMT 19 Mar 2015 Top Gear could have stayed on air without Jeremy Clarkson - but his co-hosts reportedly refused to present the show without him. James May and Richard Hammond were offered the chance to front the motoring show during Clarkson’s suspension, according to a BBC executive. Discussions were held about broadcasting the last three episodes with mainly recorded segments while the two co-stars filmed the studio parts. However the BBC insider told the Mirror that May and Hammond rejected the offer and refused to go on air without their long-time colleague. The source said: "They didn't want to do it without Jeremy so the talks didn't get off the ground. "There is a feeling that it is all of them or none of them." Clarkson expects to learn his fate this week. He and Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer he is accused of punching in a row over catering, have given their evidence to the official BBC inquiry led by Ken McQuarrie, head of BBC Scotland. Both are thought to have had lawyers present. It is now up to Lord Hall, the director-general, to assess both sides and decide if Clarkson should be sacked. Another BBC executive told the Sun: “The whole thing has been a nightmare, we just want it over. “Our priority has to be the person who has allegedly been attacked but we are between a rock and a hard place.” The remaining episodes of Top Gear are on hold, with the BBC moving a travel documentary with Simon Reeves into its Sunday slot this week. That decision has already cost BBC Two four million listeners. Richard Hammond posted a cyptic tweet on Wednesday in which he said his job was "in the holding pattern". A BBC spokesman said: “We have an investigation ongoing and we won’t comment further until that is concluded.” www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11482025/James-May-and-Richard-Hammond-refuse-to-film-Top-Gear-without-Jeremy-Clarkson.html
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 14:03:35 GMT
Lawyers in the corner as Clarkson gives evidenceKaya BurgessPublished at 12:01AM, March 19 2015 Jeremy Clarkson and Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer he is alleged to have punched, have given evidence to Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC’s chief investigator, as the corporation denied allegations of a smear campaign against the presenter. Both are believed to have had a lawyer with them during the hearings. Mr MacQuarrie is understood to be comparing the two accounts of what happened last Wednesday at a hotel in the Yorkshire Dales before calling other witnesses, although the BBC has still refused to set out a timetable for an end to the affair, which has caused embarrassment for the corporation’s bosses. It was reported this week that an unnamed BBC figure had compared political support for Clarkson to the backing received by Jimmy Savile, prompting criticism from Savile’s victims. A friend of Clarkson is said to have told the Daily Mail that the presenter had instructed his lawyers to demand a retraction and an investigation into the source of the smear. Olswang, the law firm representing him, declined to comment. Allegations that the remark — which described the pressure on Mr Tymon as “Savilesque” — had been made by someone in the office of James Purnell, the BBC’s head of strategy, were described as “categorically untrue” by the corporation, which said it did not condone any such comparison. One report this week claimed that James May and Richard Hammond, Clarkson’s Top Gear co-hosts, were the only witnesses to the altercation between the presenter and the producer, which was apparently sparked by a row over a lack of hot food after a day’s filming. May and Hammond are likely to be called as witnesses, it is understood, but May said last week that he was “blind drunk” at the time and did not know the details of the incident. It is not known whether the two men, whose contracts, like Clarkson’s, expire at the end of this month, would be willing to continue the show without their co-host. May has posted a series of tweets this week joking that he is unemployed and trying to fill his time while Top Gear is off the air. He said that he was replacing light bulbs and buying Hoover bags, but added: “Seriously, if you really are unemployed, good luck to you. It’s not funny in reality.” Hammond tweeted yesterday that he was enjoying a “gorgeous morning off”. A petition to reinstate Clarkson has reached more than 960,000 signatures, while a second petition has gathered more than 21,000 signatures calling for him to be replaced as Top Gear host by Alan Partridge, the Steve Coogan character. A BBC spokesman declined to comment on the inquiry’s progress, saying: “As we said last week we have an investigation ongoing and we won’t comment further until that is concluded.” All three remaining episodes in the present series of Top Gear have now been postponed, although Clarkson could return to BBC screens in early May as a guest host on Have I Got News for You, it emerged this week. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4386144.ece
Clarkson back in driving seat as TV comedy host J eremy Clarkson was suspended by the BBC over his 'fracas' with a Top Gear producerKaya Burgess and Nic FildesLast updated at 12:01AM, March 18 2015 Jeremy Clarkson is expected to return to the BBC within weeks, as the suspended Top Gear presenter has been booked to host Have I Got News for You just days before the election. Clarkson, suspended by the BBC over his “fracas” with a Top Gear producer, will host the third episode of the new series of the satirical quiz show on May 1. The producers of the show warned that they always have a “field day” with the controversial star. Jimmy Mulville, who runs Hat Trick production company, joked that he may also invite Oisin Tymon, the producer allegedly punched by Clarkson last week, on to the show “so he can hit Jeremy Clarkson live on television”. The new series is due to begin on April 17 and Mr Mulville said at a Broadcasting Press Guild breakfast that he had yet to hear from the BBC about whether Clarkson’s appearance would be affected by his suspension. He said: “As far as I’m concerned, he is hosting Have I Got News for You in early May.” A friend of the producer is said to have told the Daily Mirror that he “knows he has the option of going to the police” if the truth is “whitewashed” by the BBC inquiry, run by Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC’s Scotland director, and assisted by Orla Tierney, the barrister in charge of employee relations at the corporation. A source added that Mr Tymon had been alone with Clarkson and his co-hosts, Richard Hammond and James May, who allegedly “grabbed” Clarkson after the scuffle. The Daily Mirror reported that Mr Tymon had told the BBC’s internal investigation that he wanted to keep his job and work with Clarkson again. The BBC and Mr Tymon’s lawyers declined to confirm the reports. Asked if Clarkson should be dismissed, Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the BBC’s director-general, said: “I will gather the facts and make my decision.” Top Gear and Clarkson were yesterday engulfed by two new race rows. The BBC has cleared Top Gear over the use of the word “pikey”, stating that the term, often seen as a derogatory reference to the traveller community, was commonly used to mean “chavvy” or “cheap”. A sign in the show bore the words “Pikey’s Peak”, but the BBC said it had no “intended racist reference”. The row came as Clarkson claimed in his Top Gear magazine column that London taxis were driven by foreigners “from a country you’ve never heard of” whose cars smell of “sick”. Last night it was reported that Clarkson has instructed lawyers to take action against the BBC over rumours that “insider” briefings claimed that leading politicians who backed the Top Gear host were similar to those who supported Jimmy Savile. Clarkson has demanded an immediate retraction and an investigation to smoke out the identity of the top BBC executive who made the comparison. Friends of Clarkson say he believes it to be connected to the office of former Labour minister James Purnell, now the BBC’s £295,000-a-year head of strategy. A spokesman for the BBC denies the allegations. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4384973.ece
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 14:22:28 GMT
BBC releases update on Clarkson and Top GearPosted by TopGear.com 4:17 pm on Thursday March 19, 2015  The BBC has today released the following statement: “Following last week’s suspension of Jeremy Clarkson, Ken MacQuarrie is now considering the evidence and will report to the Director-General on his findings next week.
Once this has been considered, we will set out any further steps.
The BBC will not be offering further commentary until then.”It has been confirmed that the TGTV episode scheduled for broadcast on Sunday 22 March will not be shown, but no official statement has been made regarding any future episodes. TopGear.com will bring you more news as soon as we have it. transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2015/03/19/bbc-releases-update-on-clarkson-and-top-gear/
Update on Jeremy Clarkson/Top GearDate: 19.03.2015 Last updated: 19.03.2015 at 16.04 Category: BBC Two; Factual; Corporate The BBC today released the following statement.Following last week’s suspension of Jeremy Clarkson, Ken MacQuarrie is now considering the evidence and will report to the Director-General on his findings next week. Once this has been considered, we will set out any further steps. The BBC will not be offering further commentary until then. BBC Press Office
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/statements/jeremy-clarkson-update
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 14:31:46 GMT
BBC to decide on Clarkson’s future in days Clarkson’s contract with the BBC runs out this month [Ellis O’Brien/BBC Worldwide Limited/PA]
Kaya BurgessPublished at 12:01AM, March 20 2015 The BBC’s investigation into Jeremy Clarkson’s altercation with a producer will report to the director-general, Lord Hall of Birkenhead, next week, it was confirmed yesterday, leaving him just days to decide the presenter’s fate before he is due to appear in four live Top Gear shows. The internal inquiry was prompted after what the BBC described as a fracas between Clarkson and Oisin Tymon, a producer on the motoring show, at a Yorkshire Dales hotel last week. The row was said to have erupted over a lack of hot food after a day’s filming and Clarkson is alleged to have split the producer’s lip with a punch that left him needing hospital treatment. The corporation has remained tight-lipped about the inquiry, led by Ken MacQuarrie, BBC’s Scotland director, although it is understood to have taken place away from Broadcasting House with legal representation present. A spokesman said yesterday: “Ken MacQuarrie is now considering the evidence and will report to the director-general on his findings next week.” Clarkson’s contract with the BBC, along with those of his Top Gear co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, runs out this month. BBC bosses are believed to be keen to reach a swift conclusion over any disciplinary proceedings against the presenter. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article4387455.ece
Clarkson vows to take ‘last Top Gear lap before sacking’ Clarkson said he would be tearful as he made a 'last ever lap' at the show's base [Splash News]Sonia ElksLast updated at 10:46AM, March 20 2015 Jeremy Clarkson vowed to do “one last lap” of the Top Gear racetrack “before the f****** b****** sack me” as he broke his silence over the BBC inquiry into his alleged “fracas” with a producer on the show. In an extraordinary outburst, Clarkson lashed out at corporation bosses he said had taken a great show and “f***** it up” as he auctioned the chance to join him on the circuit at a charity gala in north London last night. The presenter, who is currently suspended, predicted that he would be sacked but said he was determined to make his “last ever lap” at the show’s track at Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey. “I didn’t foresee my sacking, but I would like to do one last lap,” he told a star-studded gala audience at the Roundhouse, in video footage of the event obtained by the Mirror newspaper. “So I’ll go down to Surrey and I’ll do one last lap of that track before the f****** b****** sack me.” He added: “I’ll be a bit tearful when I do it, but f*** it, let’s do it.” The visibly emotional star suggested that may already be persona non grata at the show’s base. “I’ll drive somebody around in whatever I can get hold of,” he said. “I’m sacked so it’s probably an Austin Maestro. So who knows? But anyway it will be my last ever lap of the Top Gear test drive.” Clarkson also launched a stream of invective against his bosses at the corporation. He said they had “f*****d themselves” in their treatment of the top-rated show. “There was an 18-year waiting list to be in the audience of Top Gear, but the BBC has f***ed themselves,” he said. “It was a great show and they’ve f***ed it up.” The joint lap with Clarkson eventually sold for a top bid of £100,000 at the Time to Shine gala, which was raising money for young people to become involved in the arts. The show was hosted by the BBC presenter Edith Bowman and included performances from the pop singer Eliza Doolittle and the Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood, who took to the stage alongside the rock singer songwriter Kelly Jones. Clarkson was suspended from Top Gear over allegations that he punched and verbally abused Oisin Tymon, a producer on the show, in a row over the lack of a hot dinner at his hotel after a day’s filming. Mr Tymon is reported to have suffered a split lip that needed hospital treatment. Clarkson is expected to learn his fate next week when an inquiry into the incident led by Ken MacQuarrie, the BBC’s Scotland director, reports back to the BBC director-general, Lord Hall of Birkenhead. The BBC has enraged fans by cancelling broadcasts for the last three episodes of the current series while the inquiry takes place. Clarkson’s current contract for the show runs out this week, alongside those of his co-stars James May and Richard Hammond. A spokesman for the BBC declined to comment on Clarkson’s reported comments at the Roundhouse, but said: “Ken MacQuarrie is now considering the evidence and will report to the director-general on his findings next week.” www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4388057.ece
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 14:47:53 GMT
BBC
Jeremy Clarkson alludes to 'BBC sacking' at charity event20 March 2015 Last updated at 11:17 A video has emerged of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson saying he expects to be "sacked" by the BBC. The host was speaking at a charity event in London, where he was auctioning what he described as his "last lap" on the Top Gear race track. "I don't know when I did my last ever lap of the track before the BBC sack me," he said. An investigation into Clarkson's current suspension following a "fracas" with a producer is still ongoing. A report over the incident is due to be handed to director general Tony Hall next week, who will consider the evidence and "set out any further steps". The Roundhouse Gala on Thursday saw Clarkson offer to drive someone round the Top Gear track as part of an experience offered during the auction. "I didn't foresee my sacking, but I would like to do one last lap," he said. "I'll go down to Surrey and I'll do one last lap of that track before the [BBC] sack me. "And I'll drive somebody around in whatever I can get hold of when I'm sacked, so it's probably an Austin Maestro." The presenter gave an expletive-filled description of BBC bosses, adding Top Gear had been "a great show" but it had been ruined by the corporation.  A petition to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson was delivered to the BBCThe BBC said it would "not be offering further commentary" on any issues involving Clarkson until the current investigation was concluded. The presenter was suspended from Top Gear on 10 March, following an alleged altercation with producer Oisin Tymon. A petition calling for Clarkson's reinstatement was delivered to New Broadcasting House on Friday. The petition of almost one million signatures was delivered by a man dressed as "The Stig" who arrived at the BBC's London HQ in a tank bearing the words "Bring Back Clarkson". All remaining shows in the current series were pulled following the incident. An online petition calling for the star's reinstatement - set up by political blogger Guido Fawkes - has accrued almost one million signatures since the presenter's suspension. www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31981751
Sky News (There are six videos at the link)Clarkson Tells Live Audience He's Been SackedThe Top Gear presenter says that the BBC has sacked him - though it's not clear if he was joking. Video: Clarkson Says BBC Has Sacked Him Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson appeared to be back on provocative form as he declared on stage that the BBC had sacked him. Speaking at a fundraising event in London on Thursday night, Clarkson joked with the audience as he said: "I don't know when I did my last-ever lap of the Top Gear test track before the f***ing b******s sacked me." Amid laughter and applause the presenter apparently repeated the claim which was caught on camera. The BBC has not commented but said on Thursday afternoon that director general Tony Hall is to be given a dossier on the matter next week and will subsequently make a decision. Earlier, a BBC executive suggested Clarkson's co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond had been offered the chance to finish this season's Top Gear shows but had refused to do so. They "didn't want to do it without Jeremy", the executive was reported as saying. Clarkson was suspended from the show earlier this month after allegedly punching a producer over a row about the lack of a hot meal at a hotel following a day's filming. Both Clarkson and producer Oisin Tymon have now given their evidence to an inquiry set up to investigate the matter. The show makes millions of pounds for the BBC and, while some at the corporation are believed to want the presenter off Top Gear, he has a strong fan base, with almost a million people signing a petition for his reinstatement. Meanwhile, Clarkson's co-hosts May and Hammond have been tweeting about what they have been doing on their enforced days off. May on Thursday revealed his empathy with the unemployed as he wrote: "Seriously, if you really are unemployed, good luck to you. It's not funny in reality." Richard Hammond tweeted a picture of his dog and said: "Not trying to be cryptic, just enjoying a gorgeous morning. Off." news.sky.com/story/1448879/clarkson-tells-live-audience-hes-been-sacked
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 15:05:55 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson: Fan hands BBC petition urging 'Top Gear' host's reinstatementBy Laura Smith-Spark and Rosie Tomkins, CNN Updated 9:02 AM ET, Fri March 20, 2015 London (CNN)A supporter of suspended "Top Gear" host Jeremy Clarkson delivered a petition with nearly 1 million signatures calling for his reinstatement to the BBC's headquarters in London on Friday -- driving an armored tank up to the building. Clarkson was suspended for allegedly hitting a producer, the BBC reported last week, and "Top Gear" -- a highly popular show with a big global audience -- was not broadcast as scheduled Sunday. The BBC's decision to take the show off the air pending an investigation has outraged many of Clarkson's die-hard fans. And more than 990,000 of them have signed the petition posted on Change.org by Guido Fawkes, a right-wing political blogger, just a week ago. Whether the show of support will have any impact on the BBC's response is unclear. The findings of the internal investigation are due to be presented to the corporation's director general next week, the BBC said Thursday. "Once this has been considered, we will set out any further steps," a statement said. The BBC said in an earlier statement that Clarkson, one of the corporation's highest earners, had "a fracas with a BBC producer." In an indication of its popularity, "Top Gear" was named as the world's most widely watched factual program in the Guinness World Records 2013 Edition book, with an estimated 350 million global viewers. The show is sold to 214 territories worldwide. Clarkson vents furyClarkson vented his apparent frustration in an expletive-filled speech Thursday night in what seemed to be a spontaneous appearance at a charity auction in north London. A CNN reporter who was at the event heard Clarkson swear liberally as he talked about his suspension from the show, saying the BBC "have f***** themselves" and that it had ruined a great show. Clarkson also auctioned what he said would be one final lap of the "Top Gear" track in Surrey, outside London -- used in the show for putting vehicles through their paces -- for £100,000 ($148,000.) It's not clear whether he had the authority to offer the use of the track for auction -- but his words seem to suggest he doesn't expect his BBC career to continue, even if no decision is expected before next week. "I didn't foresee my sacking, but I would like to do one last lap," Clarkson said. "So I'll go down to Surrey, and I'll do one last lap of that track before the f****** b******* sack me." Whoever placed the winning bid would be able to ride in a car with him on that lap, he said, or in a rare LaFerrari supercar owned by a friend. Clarkson, who's been presenting the show since the late 1980s, added, "I'll be a bit tearful when I do it." The controversial star has at least one influential ally -- UK Prime Minister David Cameron. "I don't know exactly what happened," Cameron told the BBC last week. "He's a constituent of mine, a friend of mine. He's a huge talent. "Because he is such a huge talent and he amuses and entertains so many people, including my children, who'd be heartbroken if 'Top Gear' was taken off air, I hope this can be sorted out, because it's a great program and he's a great talent."
Controversial commentsIt is not the first time that Clarkson has been at the center of controversy. Last May, the television star asked for forgiveness after using a racist term during a taping of the show. Clarkson had mumbled the N-word while reciting a children's nursery rhyme, but that version of the take was never aired. Last year, the BBC show hit the headlines when Argentina complained about a "Top Gear" special filmed in the country in which the number plate H982 FKL was used -- interpreted by some as a reference to the 1982 Falklands War. Forced to stop filming and leave the country, Clarkson said on the BBC Newsbeat website that the use of the plate was purely coincidental In a previous article on its website, the BBC said "Jeremy Clarkson is not a man given to considered opinion."
Journalist Monica Sarkar contributed to this report.www.cnn.com/2015/03/20/world/uk-bbc-jeremy-clarkson/
5 impressive stats about Top GearThe BBC has taken its smash hit car show Top Gear off air.This Sunday's program was pulled after controversial presenter Jeremy Clarkson was suspended by the BBC following a "fracas" with a producer. The future of the show, now in its 22nd series, is uncertain. Top Gear is one of the BBC's most lucrative and popular shows. And Clarkson has played a big part in driving its success. Here are 5 impressive facts about Top Gear that will cause the BBC to think hard about dropping him permanently: 1. Earnings winner: The program is one the BBC's most powerful global brands. British media estimate that Top Gear makes £150 million ($225.8 million) in revenue for the broadcaster's commercial arm BBC Worldwide. 2. Record breaker: The motoring show is the most widely watched factual television program in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. 3. Global footprint: Top Gear plays in 214 territories worldwide and has an estimated global audience of 350 million. It set viewer records for an unscripted series on BBC America in 2013, while also delivering its highest ever ratings for global channel BBC Knowledge. 4. Clarkson fans: A petition to reinstate the embattled star had attracted nearly 300,000 supporters on Wednesday. He's divisive but plenty out there love him - the celebrity has 4.57 million followers on Twitter (TWTR, Tech30). The show itself has more than 24 million fans on Facebook (FB, Tech30). 5. Media offshoots: While changing viewing habits shift audiences toward video-on-demand services across the BBC, sales of Top Gear DVDs still managed to impress. Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip was the U.K.'s best-selling TV DVD of 2013. And the BBC Top Gear magazine is the number one U.K. motoring title. money.cnn.com/2015/03/11/media/top-gear-facts-jeremy-clarkson/
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 16:11:35 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson in sweary rant against BBC bosses
Top Gear presenter launches verbal attack on BBC executives and hints that he expects to be sacked over ‘fracas’ with producer
Speaking at a charity event in north London, Jeremy Clarkson rants against BBC bosses NSFW Adult Language Video: www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/20/jeremy-clarkson-foul-mouthed-rant-bbc-top-gear
John Plunkett, David Teather and Mark SweneyFriday 20 March 2015 06.00 EDT Jeremy Clarkson has launched into an expletive-laden tirade against BBC bosses, labelling them “fvcking bastards” following his suspension from Top Gear. Clarkson hinted that he expected to be sacked as a result of the internal investigation into an alleged fracas with a programme producer which will report next week. “The BBC have fvcked themselves,” Clarkson told a charity auction in north London on Thursday. “It was a great show and they fvcked it up.” Clarkson auctioned a lap around the Top Gear track for £100,000 at the charity event at the Roundhouse in Camden. Clarkson told the audience: “I didn’t foresee my sacking but I would like to do one last lap. So I’ll go down to Surrey and I’ll do one last lap of that track before the fvcking bastards sack me.” He added: “I’ll be a bit tearful when I do it, but fvck it, let’s do it.” At the event to raise money for young people to take part in the arts, Clarkson was persuaded to offer up a lap around the Top Gear track by the charity auction compere Christopher Biggins. Clarkson said: “I’ll drive somebody around in whatever I can get hold of. I’m sacked so it’s probably an Austin Maestro. So who knows? But anyway it will be my last ever lap of the Top Gear track.” He added: “There was an 18-year waiting list to be in the audience of Top Gear, but the BBC has fvcked themselves. It was a great show and they’ve fvcked it up. Tonight’s the night when you have the opportunity.” Clarkson’s Top Gear lap raised the most money at the Roundhouse event, which was hosted by radio DJ Edith Bowman and featured other lots from Jamie Cullum, who played with his band, and Ronnie Wood, who performed with Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri. The BBC said on Thursday that the investigation into the incident involving Clarkson and Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon, which happened two weeks ago, had been completed. Although the verdict of the report is not yet known, Clarkson made several references to being sacked from the BBC2 show during his address to the crowd. The corporation said BBC Scotland head Ken MacQuarrie, put in charge of the inquiry, would now consider all the evidence before reporting to director general Tony Hall next week. Hall will then decide Clarkson’s fate. The final three episodes of the current Top Gear series were pulled following Clarkson’s suspension. Clarkson’s contract, and those of his fellow Top Gear presenters, Richard Hammond and James May, expire at the end of this month. Clarkson was suspended on 10 March after an alleged “fracas” with Tymon at the Simonstone Hall hotel near Hawes in North Yorkshire after filming on location in Newcastle. Clarkson was said to have been unhappy after being offered a cold platter of food after filming, but other reports suggested it was a consequence of problems during the day’s shoot. It emerged last week that Clarkson himself telephoned Danny Cohen, the BBC’s director of television, to apologise for his part in the row in an attempt to avoid a formal inquiry. But Cohen felt he had no option but to suspend the star and cancel the next three episodes of Top Gear, a decision that appears to have enraged Clarkson and could cost the BBC millions of pounds. Last Sunday’s episode was the first to be dropped from BBC2, a Red Arrows repeat watched by 4 million viewers fewer than the 5 million-plus who regularly tune into the motoring show. www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/20/jeremy-clarkson-foul-mouthed-rant-bbc-top-gear
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 16:27:05 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 18:14:23 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 20, 2015 20:42:50 GMT
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Post by crumbs on Mar 23, 2015 21:43:57 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 12:29:26 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 12:51:30 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson: 'I haven't heard a thing' 25 March 2015 Last updated at 10:20 GMT  Clarkson was suspended 16 days ago Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson says he "hasn't heard a thing", after press reports suggested the BBC would sack him on Wednesday. The Daily Telegraph reported* that the star would be dropped after an internal investigation concluded he had attacked a producer on the show. It said director general Tony Hall would explain that such behaviour could not be tolerated at the BBC. Clarkson tweeted a rebuttal of the story on Wednesday morning. "Just to keep everyone up to date, I haven't heard a thing," he wrote, shortly before 10:00 GMT. The BBC also says no final decision had been made on Clarkson's future. "When we have an outcome, we will announce it," said a BBC spokesman. PetitionClarkson was suspended 16 days ago following an alleged "fracas" with producer Oisin Tymon. The row was said to have occurred because no hot food was laid on for the presenter following a day's filming in North Yorkshire. An internal investigation began last week, led by Ken MacQuarrie, the director of BBC Scotland. Mr Tymon did not file a formal complaint and it is understood Clarkson reported himself to BBC bosses. The BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen, felt he had no choice but to suspend the presenter pending an investigation.  Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have presented Top Gear together since 2003 The decision caused an outpouring of support from Top Gear fans, with more than a million people signing an online petition to reinstate him. Whatever the outcome of the BBC's inquiry, the motoring show is expected to continue. It is one of BBC Two's most popular programmes, and overseas sales generate an estimated £50m a year for the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide. Whether Clarkson's co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond would continue in his absence has yet to be confirmed. All three have their contracts up for renewal this year.  Chris Evans says the current Top Gear presenters are "the best they could be" Chris Evans responds to rumours about Top Gear jobVideo: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32046547Meanwhile Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, who has been touted as a potential replacement for Clarkson, has ruled himself out of the running. "Not only is it not true, it's absolute nonsense," he told listeners on Wednesday morning. "From what I've seen on Twitter and various social media, there's a 50/50 split approximately as to whether me being involved in the show is a good idea. "In TV or radio, if you get a 50/50 love/hate reaction that usually equals massive hit. I used to work for [ratings body] Barb and knock on people's doors and this was the rule of thumb. "However, I'm in the no camp. So regardless of whether it would be a hit, I'm voting a no for myself on that show, so that's never going happen. "And that's the end of that." Speaking later to reporters outside Radio 2, Evans refused to speculate on who else might replace Clarkson, saying he "doesn't know if the post is available yet". www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32048660* Jeremy Clarkson to be sacked by the BBCwww.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11493270/Jeremy-Clarkson-to-be-sacked-by-the-BBC.html
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:10:00 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:18:45 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson dropped from Top Gear, BBC confirms12 minutes ago Jeremy Clarkson's contract will not be renewed after a physical altercation with a producer, the BBC's director general Tony Hall has said.Lord Hall said he had "not taken this decision lightly" and recognised it would "divide opinion". However, he added "a line has been crossed" and he "cannot condone what has happened on this occasion". Clarkson was suspended on 10 March, following what was called a "fracas" with Oisin Tymon in a Yorkshire hotel. The row was said to have occurred because no hot food was provided for him following a day's filming. An internal investigation began last week, led by Ken MacQuarrie, the director of BBC Scotland. It found that Mr Tymon took himself to hospital after he was subject to an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack". "During the physical attack Oisin Tymon was struck, resulting in swelling and bleeding to his lip. The verbal abuse was sustained over a longer period, both at the time of the physical attack and subsequently." The verbal abuse "contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack" Mr Tymon, who believed he had lost his job, Mr MacQuarrie noted in his report. The "physical attack lasted around 30 seconds and was halted by the intervention of a witness," he added. Mr Tymon did not file a formal complaint and it is understood Clarkson reported himself to BBC bosses after the incident on 4 March, 2015. After that, the BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen, felt he had no choice but to suspend the presenter pending an investigation. The decision caused an outpouring of support from Top Gear fans, with more than a million people signing an online petition to reinstate him. 'Extraordinary contribution'Announcing his decision, Lord Hall said Clarkson's dismissal was unavoidable after "a member of staff - who is a completely innocent party - took himself to Accident and Emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature. "For me a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations." However, he added: "This decision should in no way detract from the extraordinary contribution that Jeremy Clarkson has made to the BBC. I have always personally been a great fan of his work and Top Gear."
Analysis: David Silito, Media correspondentJeremy Clarkson took a slightly dull and failing car programme and turned it in to the biggest factual TV show in the World. But this sacking has nothing to do with style, opinions, popularity - or even his language on the show. It's about what stars are allowed to get away with off screen, a topic that's been top of the agenda for the BBC in recent months. The corporation has had to overhaul all of its policies and attitudes towards bullying and harassment, and a long verbal tirade and a physical assault would have crossed the line for any member of staff. Clarkson may be popular with the audience, and the BBC really did not want to lose him, but this was a star who admitted he was on his final warning and a corporation that was under intense scrutiny over what its top talent can and cannot get away with.
Writing in his column in the Sun newspaper earlier this month, Clarkson had appeared to hint he was close to quitting, calling himself a "dinosaur" and adding: "These big imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on." It is expected that Top Gear, one of BBC Two's most popular programmes, will continue without Clarkson, who will now become the subject of a bidding war by other broadcasters. The magazine show is one of the BBC's biggest properties, with overseas sales worth an estimated £50m a year for the corporation's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.
Top Gear stats
350 million-Top Gear's estimated worldwide audience
1977 Top Gear began as a local show on BBC Midlands
170 plus episodes in its current format (since 2002)
3 million YouTube subscribers
1.7 million global circulation of Top Gear magazine
Source: BBC Worldwide
Whether Clarkson's co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond will remain with the show has yet to be confirmed. All three had their contracts up for renewal this year. Meanwhile, one of Clarkson's potential replacements, Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, has rubbished press speculation that he was to join the show. "Not only is it not true, it's absolute nonsense," he told his listeners on Wednesday morning. "From what I've seen on Twitter and various social media, there's a 50/50 split approximately as to whether me being involved in the show is a good idea. "In TV or radio, if you get a 50/50 love/hate reaction that usually equals massive hit. I used to work for [ratings body] Barb and knock on people's doors and this was the rule of thumb. "However, I'm in the no camp. So regardless of whether it would be a hit, I'm voting a no for myself on that show, so that's never going happen. "And that's the end of that." www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32052736
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:24:00 GMT
BBC Director-General's statement regarding Jeremy ClarksonDate: 25.03.2015 Last updated: 25.03.2015 at 14.00 Category: BBC Two; Factual; Corporate Tony Hall, the BBC Director-General, has today released the following statement regarding Jeremy Clarkson.It is with great regret that I have told Jeremy Clarkson today that the BBC will not be renewing his contract. It is not a decision I have taken lightly. I have done so only after a very careful consideration of the facts and after personally meeting both Jeremy and Oisin Tymon. I am grateful to Ken MacQuarrie for the thorough way he has conducted an investigation of the incident on 4th March. Given the obvious and very genuine public interest in this I am publishing the findings of his report. I take no pleasure in doing so. I am only making them public so people can better understand the background. I know how popular the programme is and I also know that this decision will divide opinion. The main facts are not disputed by those involved. I want to make three points. First – The BBC is a broad church. Our strength in many ways lies in that diversity. We need distinctive and different voices but they cannot come at any price. Common to all at the BBC have to be standards of decency and respect. I cannot condone what has happened on this occasion. A member of staff – who is a completely innocent party – took himself to Accident and Emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature. For me a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations. Second – This has obviously been difficult for everyone involved but in particular for Oisin. I want to make clear that no blame attaches to him for this incident. He has behaved with huge integrity throughout. As a senior producer at the BBC he will continue to have an important role within the organisation in the future. Third – Obviously none of us wanted to find ourselves in this position. This decision should in no way detract from the extraordinary contribution that Jeremy Clarkson has made to the BBC. I have always personally been a great fan of his work and Top Gear. Jeremy is a huge talent. He may be leaving the BBC but I am sure he will continue to entertain, challenge and amuse audiences for many years to come. The BBC must now look to renew Top Gear for 2016. This will be a big challenge and there is no point in pretending otherwise. I have asked Kim Shillinglaw to look at how best we might take this forward over the coming months. I have also asked her to look at how we put out the last programmes in the current series. Notes to EditorsA summary of the findings of Ken MacQuarrie's investigation is available to download here.* BBC Press Officewww.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/statements/jeremy-clarkson-dg-statement
*Investigation findings – Ken MacQuarrieOn 9 March 2015, Jeremy Clarkson reported to BBC management that he had been involved in a physical and verbal incident with Oisin Tymon, the producer of Top Gear, at the Simonstone Hall Hotel, North Yorkshire, whilst working on location. The incident had occurred on 4 March 2015 and Jeremy Clarkson was suspended on 10 March, pending investigation. I was asked to undertake an investigation to establish the facts of what occurred. In conducting my investigation, in line with the BBC’s usual practice, I interviewed a number of witnesses and others connected with the incident. Accounts were agreed, based on my interviews, with each participant. Having conducted these interviews and considered the evidence presented, I conclude the following: on 4 March 2015 Oisin Tymon was subject to an unprovoked physical and verbal attack by Jeremy Clarkson. During the physical attack Oisin Tymon was struck, resulting in swelling and bleeding to his lip. The verbal abuse was sustained over a longer period, both at the time of the physical attack and subsequently. Specific facts I have found as part of my investigation are as follows: earlier on 4 March, studio recording of Top Gear had taken place in Surrey and the presenters had travelled that same evening to the location shoot in North Yorkshire; the incident occurred on a patio area of the Simonstone Hall Hotel, where Oisin Tymon was working on location for Top Gear; the physical attack lasted around 30 seconds and was halted by the intervention of a witness; it is the case that Oisin Tymon offered no retaliation; the verbal abuse was directed at Oisin Tymon on more than one occasion – both during the attack and subsequently inside the hotel – and contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack him. The abuse was at such volume as to be heard in the dining room, and the shouting was audible in a hotel bedroom; derogatory and abusive language, relating to Oisin Tymon and other members of the Top Gearteam, continued to be used by Jeremy Clarkson inside the hotel, in the presence of others, for a sustained period of time; it is clear that Oisin Tymon was shocked and distressed by the incident, and believed that he had lost his job; following the attack, I understand that Oisin Tymon drove to a nearby A&E department for examination; over the subsequent days, Jeremy Clarkson made a number of attempts to apologise to Oisin Tymon by way of text, email and in person; and it is the case that Jeremy Clarkson reported the incident to BBC management. It was not disputed by Jeremy Clarkson or any witness that Oisin Tymon was the victim of an unprovoked physical and verbal attack. It is also clear to me that Oisin Tymon is an important creative member of the Top Gear team who is well-valued and respected. He has suffered significant personal distress as a result of this incident, through no fault of his own. downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/investigation-summary.pdf
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:58:00 GMT
Top Gear Presenter James May Reacts To Jeremy Clarkson Being Sacked By BBCPublished on Mar 25, 2015 Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear co-presenter James May says he, Clarkson and Hammond come "as a package" so the future of the show and a replacement "will require thought". Read more: news.sky.com/story/1452410/sacked-clarkson-could-face-police-actionJeremy Clarkson Could Face Police Action
Police are working with the BBC over what the corporation called an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack" by the presenter. James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
Posted at 15:06 James May on Clarkson decision
Presenter James May has given his reaction to the BBC's decision not to renew Jeremy Clarkson's contract, calling the situation "a tragedy". "I'm sorry that what ought to have been a small incident sorted out easily has turned into something big," he told reporters outside his house. The broadcaster said he was "sure Top Gear will continue in some way" but refused to confirm whether he and Richard Hammond would remain on the show. "I think we are very much, the three of us, a package. It works for very complicated reasons that a lot of people don't fully understand. "So that will require a lot of careful thought." www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-31841621?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_breaking&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central
James May: 'Dropping Jeremy Clarkson is a tragedy'
25 March 2015 Last updated at 15:28 GMT Former Top Gear colleague James May has said that the departure of Jeremy Clarkson is a "tragedy". May said "what ought to have been a small incident, sorted out easily, turned into something big". Clarkson's contract will not be renewed after an "unprovoked physical attack" on a Top Gear producer, the BBC's director general has confirmed. Video: www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32056330
25 March 2015 14:49 Speaking outside his home in west London, Top Gear presenter James May described his colleague’s departure as a “tragedy”. He said: "Well apparently they have shot him. I’ve only found this out by prising the information out of various BBC sources, nobody has actually told me officially until a few moments ago when they emailed.
I don’t really have anything to say about it. It’s a tragedy. I’m sorry that what ought to have been a small incident sorted out easily has turned into something big... I have only known for the past few minutes and if you excuse me I have to write the eBay listing for my Ferrari."
Asked if he thought the decision was fair, May said it was “probably within the law and their hands were tied”. On his own future, May said: "Erm, well I don’t want to talk about that too much but I think we are very much the three of us as a package. It works for very complicated reasons that a lot of people don’t fully understand. So that will require a lot of careful thought ...Much as I think he’s a knob I quite like working with Jeremy."www.theguardian.com/media/live/2015/mar/25/bbc-will-not-renew-jeremy-clarkson-contract-live-updates#block-5512ca36e4b000f521027146
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 14:59:49 GMT
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So we are being partially punished, we get Jeremy and Richard but no James 
