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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 15:11:07 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 15:21:11 GMT
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Post by dit on Mar 25, 2015 16:58:04 GMT
From James' agent.....
"James was disappointed to hear that the BBC will not be renewing Jeremy’s contract, however understands that it will have been a difficult deliberation all round and respects the decision.
As to the future of Top Gear, it existed before its current format and will no doubt continue to do so. James’ involvement in that future requires much thought, deliberation and conversation between many people, and at this moment further speculation on that is not useful.
James will be making no further comment at this time."
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Post by crumbs on Mar 25, 2015 17:29:48 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 17:37:04 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson: Tony Hall statement in full25 March 2015 Last updated at 14:30 GMT The BBC's director general has announced that Jeremy Clarkson's contract will not be renewed after a physical altercation with a producer. Tony Hall said that he had considered the facts and come to a conclusion based on them. He also thanked Mr Clarkson for his work with the BBC. Video: www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32055744
BBC Director General Explains Why BBC Dropped Jeremy Clarkson
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Post by dit on Mar 25, 2015 17:49:15 GMT
Ah well, I suppose it's fitting that he's going not with a whimper, but a bang.
(No pun intended)
(Sorry, T S Eliot)
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 18:38:10 GMT
Ah well, I suppose it's fitting that he's going not with a whimper, but a bang. (No pun intended) (Sorry, T S Eliot) I don't think it's in Jeremy's nature to do things subtly & quietly regarding Top Gear I've paid a visit to the virtual stone mason    |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 25, 2015 22:08:25 GMT
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Post by Reneeisxena on Mar 26, 2015 5:31:18 GMT
It's very sad to know that this couldn't have been handled differently. Perhaps a significant fine, a several months suspension without pay and a required anger management course. Beyond his feud with Mr. Morgan I've not heard of him being violent. Bad language and his inability to control his mouth have been mostly chuckled at by we who love him. I think there is something happening in the background that we don't know about. I wish Jeremy all the luck in the world in whatever he does next. And when he returns to TV, I will be watching.
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Post by crumbs on Mar 26, 2015 13:56:58 GMT
As the incident occurred in a relatively public place and was witnessed by members of the general public, it's difficult to see what else the Beeb could do. If he'd lost his rag privately, I'm sure this would have been handled very differently. As it is, the media now say the file has now been requested by the Police for investigation. It's hard to imagine the BBC keeping Jeremy on with that going on although a prosecution is hardly in the 'public interest' - let's face it, Jeremy may not be everyone's cup of tea but he's no hardened criminal.
Reports now say any career for him in the States could be jeopardised by the police investigation.
No one wins here. The BBC will lose millions and popularity, the public lose a show they've watched for years. I've seen almost every episode since 2003. The boys future careers are uncertain although I'm sure something will be developed in time for them. It just won't be the same.
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 26, 2015 15:05:54 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson: BBC boss on 'sacking biggest star' - BBC News
Published on Mar 25, 2015
Director General of the BBC Tony Hall has answered questions about the departure of Jeremy Clarkson and said the presenter "crossed a line". He said that there was a "physical assault and sustained verbal abused against a member of staff". Clarkson was suspended on 10 March, following what was called a "fracas" with Oisin Tymon in a Yorkshire hotel.
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 26, 2015 17:32:31 GMT
James May: 'I might quit TV and become a teacher'Jeremy Clarkson's sacking has left his Top Gear presenters on the verge of quitting, with James May saying he could now 'do something completely different with my life'  James May said it could be time for him to quit TV and do something completely different Photo: National Pictures / Joe NewmanBy Anita Singh, Arts and Entertainment Editor 2:47PM GMT 26 Mar 2015 James May says he might quit TV and the car business altogether after colleague Jeremy Clarkson was sacked from Top Gear. The presenter said it could be “time to go back to normal life”, calling time on his long-running partnership with Clarkson and Richard Hammond. “We did it for 12 years. It’s a very big moment in our lives, but nothing was going to last forever.  Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have presented Top Gear together for 12 years“We just didn’t know how it was going to end. Things are supposed to end in a whimper so maybe we’ve broken the mould a bit,” he said, describing the success of the programme as a “fluke”. Asked if he would make another Top Gear show, May replied: “Not necessarily.” Is that because he does not want to carry on without Clarkson? “It’s not just that. I might want to do something completely different with my life. “I’m quite old now. I might do something outside of cars. I always wanted to be a teacher.”
Speaking outside his home, May said the BBC’s decision to sack Clarkson was “very harsh but I think they were probably forced”.
He added: “I don’t actually know the entire story. A lot of people are making judgments about it, but they don’t know the full story either so I don’t know. “This only happened yesterday. We have to spend a lot of time thinking about what we do next.” May said Clarkson would easily find another job in TV. “I can’t see Jeremy Clarkson having very many serious problems in his working life in the long run. “He’s extremely good at what he does.” The fans are the ones who are really suffering, May added, “because in the end they haven’t seen our last three films that we made which we were quite pleased with. “This has been a good series, one of our better ones.” May finished by saying: “I’m only a freelance TV presenter and, in many ways, it’s all just been a massive fluke. “I always said that on the day it ends for me I’ll have to be magnanimous and look back and say, ‘Well, that was a stroke of luck, now back to normal life', and that seems to have happened. “So here I go, I’m about to eat some beans and go back to my normal life.” Clarkson left his London home on a bicycle this morning, trying to avoid reporters. Asked if he would apologise to fans left upset by his departure, Clarkson replied: "Everybody's upset."
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11496927/James-May-I-might-quit-TV-and-become-a-teacher.html
www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/james-may-hints-top-gear-days-are-over-following-jeremy-clarksons-bbc-suspension-10136145.html
www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/james-says-might-become-teacher-5405363
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3012606/Fellow-Gear-stars-James-Richard-Hammond-set-follow-Jeremy-Clarkson-BBC.html
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 26, 2015 20:48:49 GMT
Jeremy Clarkson: 'Leave Ois alone... none of this is his fault'
Published on Mar 26, 2015
Jeremy Clarkson has said that he wants people to stop blaming the producer he hit for his departure from Top Gear. Oisin Tymon has been the subject of threats on social media. Mr Clarkson told reporters that it was not the producer's fault, but did not respond to a question about whether he was worried about being arrested.
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 28, 2015 13:28:56 GMT
Police investigate sacked Jeremy Clarkson over attack Jeremy Clarkson's BBC contract will not be renewedKaya BurgessLast updated at 3:58PM, March 25 2015 Police are investigating the fracas in a hotel which today led to Jeremy Clarkson being sacked as the presenter of Top Gear. The future of the hit TV show has been plunged into doubt, after the director-general of the BBC announced that the corporation’s highest-paid star had “crossed a line” by punching and verbally abusing a junior colleague. Clarkson’s contract would not be renewed when it expires at the end of the month, said Lord Hall of Birkenhead. James May, his co-presenter, cast further doubt on the future of the show by suggesting he would not continue without him. Minutes later North Yorkshire Police said in a statement that officers were looking into the alleged assault. “North Yorkshire Police is liaising with the BBC regarding the alleged incident in North Yorkshire involving Jeremy Clarkson,” the statement read. “We have asked the BBC for the report which details the findings of their internal investigation into the matter. “The information will be assessed appropriately and action will be taken by North Yorkshire Police where necessary. It would not be appropriate for North Yorkshire Police to comment further at this time.” Clarkson had been suspended from Top Gear for two weeks while a lengthy investigation was carried out into the altercation, which broke out when Clarkson and his fellow presenters returned tired and hungry from a day’s filming only to find that their hotel kitchen had closed and no cooked meals were available. Lord Hall said today that the inquiry had concluded that Clarkson launched an “unprovoked physical and verbal attack” on Oisin Tymon, leaving the producer with a swollen and bleeding lip that required treatment in A&E. The row erupted on the patio outside a Yorkshire hotel, leading to a 30-second physical attack and then a “sustained” period of “derogatory and abusive language” from Clarkson, which led Mr Tymon to believe he had lost his job. The BBC boss said: “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.” Lord Hall said that Clarkson made numerous attempts to apologise to Mr Tymon by text, by email and in person over the following days. He praised Clarkson as a broadcaster and 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. 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.” He added that the BBC will “look to renew Top Gear for 2016” and admitted that it will be a “big challenge” for Kim Shillinglaw, the controller of BBC2, who will also look at how to put out the remaining three episodes in the current series. The contracts of James May and Richard Hammond, Clarkson’s co-hosts, are also due to expire next week and renegotiations have been on hold during Clarkson’s suspension. Any hopes the BBC may have had of the pair continuing on Top Gear without Clarkson were apparently dashed when May was asked about the decision on Sky News. May said: “We’re 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.” He said that Clarkson’s sacking was a “tragedy” but said he assumed that the BBC’s “hands were tied”. He added: “I’m sorry that what ought to have been a small incident sorted out easily turned into something big.” Asked who he would like to work with on the show, he added: “Much as I think he’s a kn*b, I quite like working with Jeremy.” May’s Twitter profile was changed to say that he was a “former TV presenter” and he joked that he would be listing his Ferrari sportscar on eBay. Asked if the show could go on, May said: “I’m sure Top Gear can continue in some way. It existed before us and has been reformatted several times.” Jodie Kidd, the model and television personality, is among the favourites to replace Clarkson on the show. Chris Evans, the radio DJ, has repeatedly ruled himself out, saying today that it was “never going to happen”. Clarkson tweeted this morning that “I haven’t heard a thing”, but is understood to have been informed shortly before the BBC announced that his contract would not be renewed. Lord Hall added that “no blame” was attached to Mr Tymon over the incident and that the producer was an “important creative member” of Top Gear who had acted with “huge integrity” and at “significant personal distress” throughout the inquiry. Speaking for the first time, Mr Tymon thanked the BBC for their investigation into the “regrettable incident” and said: “I’ve worked on Top Gear for almost a decade, a programme I love. Over that time Jeremy and I had a positive and successful working relationship, making some landmark projects together. He is a unique talent and I am well aware that many will be sorry his involvement in the show should end in this way.” His lawyer, Paul Daniels, from the law firm Slater and Gordon, said the process had been a nightmare for Mr Tymon, who “simply wishes to return to the job he loves”. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4392806.ece#
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 28, 2015 13:31:30 GMT
27 March 2015 Statement on Behalf of Oisin Tymon
Daniels, Employment Lawyer at Slater and Gordon Lawyers UK issues a statement on behalf of Oisin Tymon.
Paul said, “I have been asked to issue a statement on behalf of my client Oisin Tymon regarding police enquiries in this matter. “Mr Tymon has informed the police that he doesn’t want to press charges. “The events of the last few weeks have been extremely unpleasant for everyone involved. The matter has taken a great toll on Oisin, his family and his friends. “Quite simply, Mr Tymon just wishes to return now to the job at the BBC he loves, as soon as possible. Further, the BBC have, in his view, taken action with a view to addressing the issues at hand. “Mr Tymon agrees with the BBC’s stated view that all parties should now be allowed to move on, so far as possible.” To read more about this from Slater & Gordon see: www.slatergordon.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2015/03/statement-on-behalf-of-oisin-tymon/#ixzz3Vge78aAE |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 28, 2015 13:41:21 GMT
Clarkson faces police interview over attack
James May suggested that he might now become a teacher Alexi Mostrous Last updated at 12:01AM, March 27 2015 Jeremy Clarkson faces an interview under caution after police officers spoke to potential witnesses about his assault on a junior colleague. Senior BBC figures hoped that sacking the Top Gear presenter for an “unprovoked physical attack” on producer Oisin Tymon would conclude the matter. However, North Yorkshire police launched its own investigation after being contacted by “concerned members of the public”. Chief Constable Dave Jones said that his force would look into the incident despite Mr Tymon having made no complaint. “We have a duty to investigate where we believe an offence might have been committed,” a statement said. “This is what we have been doing with this case.” Some witnesses to the “fracas” at the Simonstone Hall hotel in Yorkshire on March 4 have already been interviewed and officers have asked to speak to Mr Tymon. Mr Tymon’s lawyer declined to say whether his client would co-operate. On Wednesday the BBC announced that it would not renew Clarkson’s contract. Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the director-general, said that “a line had been crossed” when the presenter launched a 30-second physical attack and a “sustained” period “of derogatory and abusive language” against his colleague, who was left with a split lip. Mr Tymon’s lawyer said his client “simply wishes to return to the job he loves at the BBC”. Clarkson spent his first night out of the BBC at a party thrown by Jemima Khan, the heiress and journalist, whose guest list also included the chef Heston Blumenthal, the comedian Angus Deayton and Matthew Freud, the PR guru. Ms Khan denied it was a “sacking party”, saying that Clarkson had been invited “weeks ago”. James May, Clarkson’s Top Gear colleague, said he might become a teacher after calling time on his long-running partnership. “We did it for 12 years,” May said. “It’s a very big moment in our lives, but nothing was going to last forever.” Clarkson said that he “wished people would leave Osh [Oisin Tymon] alone, because none of this is his fault”. Matthew Scott, a criminal barrister at Pump Court Chambers, said it would be usual for police to interview Clarkson under caution if they established a reasonable suspicion that he may have committed a crime. Mr Scott said Mr Tymon’s co-operation was not essential to the police investigation. An assault may not have been the only offence committed, he added. “It could be an affray. If there was a punch-up in a public place, it doesn’t require a victim at all, you just need the use or threat of unlawful violence such that a person of reasonable firmness would be put in fear for their personal safety.” Camilla Rents, a solicitor at Old Bailey solicitors, said: “This case is very high profile and the police may have felt they need to be doing something.” She said that if Mr Tymon refused to co-operate it would decrease the chances of the matter being brought to court. In what is almost certainly his last column for the Top Gear monthly magazine, Clarkson told critics that creating a rival car show “isn’t hard”. He reminisced about starting out on a local newspaper with “little Peugeots and Fiats” before eventually driving an Aston Martin Lagonda “but only with a man from the company in the back seat”. It is thought that Clarkson, who talked to May and Top Gear’s executive producer Andy Wilman yesterday, might sign for Netflix after Channel 4 and Sky appeared to rule themselves out. Even if he is convicted of an assault he is unlikely to face immigration problems. Britons are banned from entering America only if convicted of a crime of “moral turpitude”, which covers more serious assaults that occur with weapons or with a “depraved motive.” William Diaz, an immigration lawyer at Laura Devine, said that a “work-place dust up” would more likely be classified as a simple assault. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4394324.ece
Don’t prosecute Clarkson, ‘fracas’ victim tells policeKaya Burgess Published at 12:01AM, March 28 2015 The Top Gear producer left with a split lip by Jeremy Clarkson has told police that he does not want to press charges as inquiries continue into the incident that led to the presenter’s sacking. Oisin Tymon’s lawyers sent a letter to North Yorkshire police yesterday after officers started investigations into the altercation that left him seeking treatment at hospital. His decision reduces the likelihood that Clarkson will face assault charges, but experts have said that it could still be a public order offence. Paul Daniels, Mr Tymon’s lawyer at Slater and Gordon, said: “The events of the last few weeks have been extremely unpleasant for everyone involved. The matter has taken a great toll on Oisin, his family and his friends. “Quite simply, Mr Tymon just wishes to return now to the job at the BBC he loves, as soon as possible. Further, the BBC have, in his view, taken action with a view to addressing the issues at hand. Mr Tymon agrees with the BBC’s stated view that all parties should now be allowed to move on, so far as possible.” Clarkson, 54, has said that he wished people “would leave Ois alone because none of this is his fault”. Lord Hall of Birkenhead, the BBC director-general, announced “with regret” on Wednesday that the presenter’s contract would not be renewed owing to his “unprovoked physical and verbal attack”. North Yorkshire police said: “Earlier this week we made contact with Mr Tymon’s lawyers to ask for his views on the incident at Simonstone Hall [the hotel where the incident took place] and how — as the central person in this matter — he wished us to proceed. “This morning we received a letter from Mr Tymon’s lawyers indicating that he does not wish the police to pursue an investigation on his behalf.” Police inquiries were continuing and some witness interviews were still to take place, a spokesman said. It is believed that the incident was not reported to police at the time. Mr Tymon’s decision not to make a formal complaint does not bring police matters to an end, said Matthew Scott, a criminal barrister at Pump Court Chambers. “They don’t need the victim to make a complaint, but it does lessen the likelihood that the police would pursue it very far,” he said. “It makes it more likely that they would pursue a public order crime, which can also be quite serious.” Police would only interview Clarkson if they had evidence from other bystanders that they had felt threatened, Mr Scott said. “If all they have got is the BBC inquiry then no, I don’t suppose they would [interview him]. “A formal caution wouldn’t normally take place unless they had enough evidence to at least consider charging him. And he would be pretty unlikely to accept it.” Clarkson’s departure has reportedly resulted in a last-minute script change to the opening episode of W1A, the spoof fly-on-the-wall comedy that mocks BBC management. The narration, provided by David Tennant, the former Dr Who actor, has been edited to take account of Clarkson’s dismissal as part of a joke about “damage limitation”, an insider told TheGuardian. The crew started packing up the Top Gear set in Surrey on the same day that Clarkson’s departure was announced, it was reported. A senior BBC figure said that the corporation hoped to record and broadcast at least two of the three postponed episodes of the current series, possibly with pre-recorded material featuring Clarkson. The corporation has given Kim Shillinglaw, the controller of BBC Two and BBC Four, responsibility for finding a new presenter or an entirely new team if James May and Richard Hammond follow Clarkson by leaving the show. May has indicated that the three of them “came as a package”. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4395338.ece
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Post by dit on Mar 28, 2015 21:14:19 GMT
I find it somewhat ironic that the BBC, having effectively sacked Clarkson this week, were perfectly happy to put out a repeat edition of Top Gear tonight on BBC3.
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 29, 2015 15:32:19 GMT
I find it somewhat ironic that the BBC, having effectively sacked Clarkson this week, were perfectly happy to put out a repeat edition of Top Gear tonight on BBC3. Some bread and circuses to keep the unwashed plebeian masses occupied |
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Post by crumbs on Mar 30, 2015 20:12:42 GMT
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Post by slfriend79 on Mar 30, 2015 21:34:31 GMT
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 31, 2015 16:16:29 GMT
A Statement from Andy Wilman: I have Not ResignedPosted by TopGear.com 9:56 am on Tuesday March 31, 2015  Yesterday Top Gear’s executive producer Andy Wilman sent an email to everyone who has worked on Top Gear in the last 13 years, thanking them for their contributions to the show.
This email was subsequently leaked to the press, and taken as confirmation that Andy had resigned from Top Gear. This is his response: “The email I wrote yesterday was not a resignation statement, and nor was it meant for public consumption. “It was a private note of thanks to 113 people who have worked on the show over the years, but clearly one of those 113 is a bit of a tit, because they shared it with a website. “I don’t get this modern obsession with sharing, linking, forwarding, re tweeting; whatever happened to a private moment? And if I were to resign, I wouldn’t do it publicly, I’d do it old school by handing in my, er, notice, to someone upstairs in HR. “I work behind the camera and I wouldn’t presume for one moment to think people are interested in what I do. Now, everyone back to work.” transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2015/03/31/a-statement-from-andy-wilman-on-news-he-has-resigned/
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 31, 2015 18:06:44 GMT
James May talks Top Gear future and playing the recorder
Published on Mar 31, 2015 Top Gear presenter James May, whose contract on the show has come to an end, says he doesn't know if he will stay at the BBC now that his former colleague Jeremy Clarkson has been fired. Report by Sophie Foster.
Video: James May: 'I don't know if I'll stay at Top Gear'Top Gear presenter James May, whose contract on the show has come to an end, says he has yet to discover his fate By Keely Lockhart, video source ITN 12:28PM BST 31 Mar 2015 James May remains uncertain about his future presenting Top Gear, despite his contract running out today. May's future on the show, and that of co-presenter Richard Hammond, were thrown into question last week after the BBC fired Jeremy Clarkson. Speaking outside his home, May told reporters: "It's very complicated. I've got to sell my car - all sorts of things. "I honestly, seriously don't know what's going to happen." When asked about whether he knew about the purported resignation of Top Gear producer Andy Wilman, May seemed shocked. "Has he?" he asked. When questioned whether this was the end for Top Gear, May confidently replied: "I doubt it's the end of Top Gear." Asked what he was planning to do with his time, the presenter answered: "I'm gonna cook a shepherd's pie and make a film for YouTube." Of late, May has been documenting his experiences online using the hashtag #StillUnemployed, and uploading videos of himself playing the recorder to YouTube. However it appears his pie-making has been put on hold. Pressed on whether he thought the Top Gear trio would reunite in another TV guise, James May replied: "One day the three of us may do something - but it may just involve a pub and a restaurant rather than a TV programme." All three were scheduled to appear at a Top Gear live event in Sydney scheduled for April 18. www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/11506271/James-May-I-dont-know-if-Ill-stay-at-Top-Gear.html
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Post by RedMoon11 on Mar 31, 2015 23:57:23 GMT
Top Gear Presenter James May's Entertaining Doorstep InterviewPublished on Mar 31, 2015 Top Gear presenter James May shows off his nice hat, details plans for a shepherd's pie and tries to sell a motorbike to a journalist before heading off for a bowel of Sugar Puffs.
James May: I don't know if I'll stay at Top Gear – video James May says he is unsure of his future with Top Gear after the sacking of co-host Jeremy Clarkson. May, in an interview outside his home in London, says his contract with the show ends on 31 March, but he does not yet know what his next move will be. May says that despite the circumstances, it is good that the show has left the audience wanting more www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/video/2015/mar/31/james-may-top-gear-jeremy-clarkson-sacking-video
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 3, 2015 8:40:00 GMT
It’s Clarkson, Hammond and May (just don’t call it Top Gear) Jeremy Clarkson and James May with Andy Wilman, who sent an au revoir email to staff [Mark Hemsworth/LNP]Kaya Burgess Published at 12:01AM, April 1 2015 Jeremy Clarkson and his former co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond will go ahead with a world tour, but they will be stripped of Top Gear branding, it was confirmed yesterday. The renamed shows, which will be called Clarkson, Hammond and May Live, allow the presenters to perform under a contract with production company Sub-Zero, which is separate from their now-expired BBC television deals. The development came as a producer who created the current television format of Top Gear sent an email entitled “au revoir” to the programme’s crew, but denied that it was a “resignation statement”. Andy Wilman, a fellow pupil at Repton School with Clarkson, worked to pitch a relaunched version of the show to the BBC in 2002 after the original format was cancelled. He had been silent throughout the scandal that saw his friend sacked by the BBC, but sent an email to Top Gear staff this week thanking them for making “beautiful” television. In his leaked email Wilman insisted the show would continue. “For those of you who still rely on it for work, don’t worry, because the BBC will make sure the show continues,” he said. “Our stint as guardians of Top Gear was a good one, but we were only part of the show’s history, not the whole of it. Those two words are bigger than us.” Wilman added: “At least we left ’em wanting more,” adding that “none of us wanted it to end this way” for members of Top Gear’s “dysfunctional family”. He denied that his email had been meant as a farewell, however. “The email I wrote yesterday was not a resignation statement, and nor was it meant for public consumption,” he said. “It was a private note of thanks to 113 people who have worked on the show over the years, but clearly one of those 113 is a bit of a tit, because they shared it with a [the Jalopnik motoring] website.” Wilman is believed to be discussing with the BBC whether any of the footage shot for the postponed episodes in the current series can be salvaged. It is believed that Wilman, May and Hammond will join Clarkson in leaving the BBC. May was pictured laughing with Alan Yentob, the BBC’s creative director, at the BBC’s headquarters, though neither revealed what was discussed. BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, ended uncertainty yesterday over the future of the Top Gear Live world tour. A spokesman said: [We have] agreed with our joint venture partner Brand Events that the remainder of the tour can continue. These events will not, however, feature any BBC Top Gear branding or content. We believe this is a sensible approach in the circumstances.” The tour is due to visit Belfast in May, Sheffield in June and London in November and will play in Australia in July. Four shows in Norway postponed last week have been rescheduled to June. Speaking outside his home, May told reporters yesterday: “I honestly, seriously don’t know what’s going to happen”, adding that the situation was “complicated”. Hammond tweeted saying that he was “bored” and “not ready for retirement”. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4398455.ece
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 3, 2015 8:50:59 GMT
Last Top Gear episodes set record for viewers Top Gear came in first, second, third and fifth place on iPlayer’s most viewed list [BBC] Kaya Burgess Published at 12:01AM, April 2 2015 In the aftermath of a traumatic break-up, it is always those little mementos and memories that make the heart ache most. The feeling must be especially painful for BBC bosses, as data shows record viewing figures on iPlayer in February, driven by Jeremy Clarkson and episodes of Top Gear. The sacking of Clarkson from the BBC following his “unprovoked” attack on a junior producer, along with the suspected departure of James May and Richard Hammond, will seem even more of a blow to BBC executives after Top Gear came in first, second, third and fifth place on iPlayer’s most viewed list for February. The week of February 16 was a record week for iPlayer and the four episodes of Top Gear aired in February were watched more than nine million times on the online catch-up service, easily beating episodes of EastEnders and The Great Comic Relief Bake Off. A BBC press release only mentioned Top Gear third when highlighting the most popular programmes of the month, suggesting that feelings are still raw at the corporation over the uncertain future of the show. Only two episodes of Top Gear were aired in March. The last three episodes in the current series — the show’s 22nd — were postponed indefinitely following Clarkson’s suspension. A senior BBC source has said that the BBC hopes to air at least two of those episodes. It is understood that Andy Wilman, the show’s executive producer, has been working with Kim Shillinglaw, the controller of BBC Two, in attempting to salvage pre-recorded segments featuring Clarkson for possible use in the broadcasts. Wilman has denied this week that an email sent to staff, entitled “au revoir”, was meant as a farewell, although he told staff that “at least we left ’em wanting more”. May and Hammond’s contracts with the BBC expired earlier this week and it is still not known whether they will renew them or appear on Top Gear in 2016 without Clarkson. May was seen chatting with Alan Yentob, the BBC’s creative director, this week. Neither revealed what was discussed. The three presenters will be reunited for a live tour. BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm, has announced that all Top Gear and BBC branding will be stripped from the shows, which will be renamed Clarkson, Hammond and May Live and are unlikely to feature The Stig or any clips from the show. Thousands of fans around the world celebrated the news. An event organiser in South Africa said: “We are thrilled to announce that this means that the show will go on in Johannesburg. Clarkson, Hammond and May will be in attendance with their unique and irreverent brand of entertainment.” www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4399703.ece
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Post by dit on Apr 3, 2015 23:39:57 GMT
(Thanks to Carla N on Twitter)
(Can't get rid of this attachment, don't know why)Attachments:
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 7, 2015 21:14:09 GMT
(Thanks to Carla N on Twitter)
(Can't get rid of this attachment, don't know why)Poor Stig can't play with his friends and his creators anymore |
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 7, 2015 21:34:25 GMT
Police drop inquiries into Jeremy Clarkson ‘fracas’ Police will not charge Jeremy Clarkson over the assault on his producerIan Lawrence/Splash NewsAlice Hutton Last updated at 12:20PM, April 7 2015 The sacked Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson will not face criminal charges over the “fracas” that left his producer with a split lip, police announced today. Clarkson admitted attacking Oisin Tymon in a 30-second-long assault in a hotel in Yorkshire in March. The producer was subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse and punched in the face after Clarkson discovered that he would not get a hot meal after a day of filming for the BBC2 programme. The star himself reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster before it announced his contract would not be renewed. The news sparked uproar amongst the show’s legions of fans – and sympathy from his friend and neighbour David Cameron, the prime minister, who praised him as a “huge talent” and said his children would be “heartbroken” if he was forced to leave. More than one million people signed a petition calling for the BBC to reinstate him and delivered it to Broadcasting House in a tank driven by The Stig, the show’s famously “tame racing driver”. But Tony Hall, the BBC director-general said “a line has been crossed” and that “there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another”. Today North Yorkshire Police said in a statement that they had completed their “routine inquiries” and decided not to pursue it any further. Mr Tymon said last month that he did not want to press charges against his former colleague The police continued: “North Yorkshire Police takes a thorough and victim-led approach to all investigations.” “Now that all the interviews are complete, we have properly established that there is no need for further police action.” Clarkson’s career has been marked with a series of controversies on the long-running show mooted to rake in an estimated £20 million for the BBC. Filming prompted a diplomatic row last year after Argentinian Falklands war veterans took offence at Clarkson driving a Porsche with the registration H982 FLK. He was also put on a final warning after appearing to use the N-word whilst reciting a nursery rhyme. He is still scheduled to host an episode of Have I Got News For You that is being filmed on April 23. The live show with former Top Gear colleagues James May and Richard Hammond will go ahead but be stripped of all BBC and Top Gear branding. www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4404159.eceJeremy Clarkson: Police end 'fracas' inquiry
North Yorkshire Police have said there is "no need for further action" against Jeremy Clarkson following an inquiry into the Top Gear "fracas".www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32202245Jeremy Clarkson to face no charges over Top Gear producer attack
North Yorkshire Police say Jeremy Clarkson will face no further police action over his attack on a Top Gear producer at a hotel
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11519261/Jeremy-Clarkson-to-face-no-charges-over-Top-Gear-producer-attack.htmlJeremy Clarkson will face no further action, say police
Former Top Gear presenter faced investigation over ‘fracas’ that led to him being dropped by the BBC
...The decision by the police is likely to help Clarkson move on with the next phase of his career.
He is still due to host an episode of Have I Got News For You that is being filmed on 23 April, in addition to touring in a live show with former Top Gear colleagues James May and Richard Hammond.
May and Hammond are now out of contract for Top Gear although the BBC has been in talks with them about continuing.
BBC2 star May is also due to make two separate shows for the corporation this year.
With the threat of a potential prosecution no longer hanging over Clarkson, it is likely to mean that BBC rivals such as ITV and Netflix can press ahead with talks.
Top Gear does well for Netflix and the company’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos is understood to realise the global appeal of Clarkson, Hammond and May’s combination of motoring and motormouth humour to the on-demand internet streaming service.
ITV – where some of its executives know Clarkson of old– is looking for more programmes for male viewers having lost FA Cup and live Champions League and Europa League rights...
www.theguardian.com/media/2015/apr/07/jeremy-clarkson-police-top-gear-bbc
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 22, 2015 9:33:17 GMT
BBC to air unseen Top Gear material featuring Jeremy ClarksonFootage from Top Gear episodes shot before Clarkson was axed as presenter will be broadcast, as BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw says he will return to the BBC John Plunkett Tuesday 21 April 2015 21.32 BST 16.32 EDT  Jeremy Clarkson is set to return to UK screens as part of Top Gear – as footage from episodes shot before he was axed is aired before the end of the year. Photograph: Rex FeaturesThe controller of BBC2 has said Jeremy Clarkson will return to the BBC in unseen material including footage of three Top Gear episodes shot before he was axed from the show. Kim Shillinglaw confirmed that material from the final three episodes of the last series of the motoring show, shelved after he was suspended following a “fracas” with a producer, would be broadcast, including appearances by Clarkson. She confirmed the show would return in a new form next year and said she would look at women presenters to front the new-look show. But she declined to speculate on whether Clarkson’s former co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May, or the show’s long-running executive producer Andy Wilman, would return. Clarkson’s contract was not renewed after it emerged in March that he had launched an unprovoked physical and verbal attack on Oisin Tymon, which left the producer in need of hospital treatment. Tony Hall, the BBC director general, said that a line had been crossed and that Clarkson had failed to maintain standards of decency and respect at work. Clarkson has since said in his column in the Sunday Times that he had suffered a cancer scare two days before the incident. He has confirmed that he has since been given the all-clear. Tymon decided not to press charges, saying in a statement in March that he hoped “all parties should now be allowed to move on, so far as possible”. North Yorkshire police announced in early April that it would be taking no further action in relation to the incident. “Jeremy will be back on the BBC,” said Shillinglaw at a BBC2 programme launch on Tuesday. “It is serious and unfortunate what happened but there is no ban on Jeremy being on the BBC. It’s a big deal what happened and Jeremy, as any human being would, needs some time out.” Shillinglaw, the BBC’s former science and natural history chief, said the re-edited editions of Top Gear could be on BBC2 as early as the summer and definitely before the end of the year.Of the unseen Top Gear footage, Shillinglaw said it would definitely make it on to BBC2 – although not enough had been shot for three full one-hour episodes.
“There is no way I would not want the available material not to be seen by viewers,” she said.“Top Gear is a show that I love, I genuinely watch it and I always have done.” Shillinglaw said the task of reinventing the show, which is watched by 6 million viewers on BBC2 and is a global hit generating £50m a year for the BBC, was “a challenge but it’s genuinely creatively exciting”. “We have got a great in house team that has always made it and will continue to make it,” she said. On the possibility of a female presenter – Sue Perkins quit Twitter after receiving death threats when she was installed as favourite to host the show – Shillinglaw said: “I am not really thinking about it in terms of gender. “I have done a lot with female presenters when I used to work in science. That was something that across the piece that I really wanted to tackle. It’s a really open book on that. We will definitely look at women but it is not the driving priority. I have never approached an individual show thinking that is the way you cast it. “It’s not been an easy year but it’s kind of creatively exciting what we are going to do, what we have to do. We have got to move the show on. That’s what we are going to do.” www.theguardian.com/media/2015/apr/21/bbc-to-air-unseen-top-gear-material-featuring-jeremy-clarkson
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Post by RedMoon11 on Apr 22, 2015 10:37:02 GMT
Clarkson back for Top Gear last lap
The three postponed Top Gear episodes “will definitely make it to air . . . certainly this year and probably this summer”
Corbis
Kaya BurgessPublished at 12:01AM, April 22 2015 Jeremy Clarkson is to be resurrected by the BBC this summer as the host of Top Gear in footage recorded before he was sacked for punching a producer. Kim Shillinglaw, the controller of BBC Two, who has been given the job of salvaging the beleaguered show, said last night that she believed Clarkson would appear on the BBC again in the future in other projects but “needs some time”, adding that “any human being would”. Ms Shillinglaw said it was a “challenge” to reinvent the format without Clarkson, adding that the new presenter could be female. “I’m not really thinking about it in terms of gender,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve ever approached an individual show thinking that’s the way you cast it. I think it’s a really open book on that. We’ll definitely look at some women, but it’s not the driving priority.” Asked about the three postponed Top Gear episodes, she said that they “will definitely make it to air . . . certainly this year and probably this summer”.
www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article4418826.ece
Unseen Top Gear footage will be screened this year, BBC saysScenes of Jeremy Clarkson in his final days of the show will be aired as early as this summer, controller of BBC Two announces By Hannah Furness, Arts correspondent8:51PM BST 21 Apr 2015 Unseen footage of Jeremy Clarkson is his final days of Top Gear will be screened this year, the BBC has confirmed. Kim Shillinglaw, controller of BBC Two, said the scenes, intended for the final three episodes of the last series, will be aired as early as this summer. Fans of the show had feared the episodes would never see the light of day, after Clarkson was suspended and then axed after a "fracas" with his producer. At the time, the three remaining Top Gear shows were scrapped by the channel, in light of the seriousness of the allegations. Shillinglaw, who is a self-proclaimed fan of the show, has now confirmed the scenes will be broadcast, saying: "No way would want the available material not to be seen by viewers." The scenes, which prerecorded before Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond filmed the full studio show, will not be enough to form three complete episodes as originally intended. They will instead be screened by the BBC as a one-off show, likely to go out over the summer. Shillinglaw said: "Top Gear is a show that I genuinely love. I watch it and always have done. "It's not been an easy year, but it's kind of creatively exciting, what were going to do and have got to do, so that's what we're getting on with. We've got to move the show on. "It's a challenge but it's genuinely creatively exciting. "We've got a great in-house team and it's going to continue to be made by them." When asked about the three programmes that had not made it to air, she added the team "simply weren't about to shoot enough material" to build full shows. "I was a great fan of the presenting line-up. No way would I want the available material not to be seen by viewers. "You'll see it when it's on air. It will certainly be this year and probably this summer." When asked whether the door was open for Clarkson to return, she said: "It's serious and unfortunate what happened, but there's no ban on Jeremy being on the BBC." www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11553700/Unseen-Top-Gear-footage-will-be-screened-this-year-BBC-says.html
BBC to show final Top Gear episodes featuring Clarkson www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/32407898/bbc-to-show-final-top-gear-episodes-featuring-clarksonJeremy Clarkson 'will return to the BBC' says BBC Two bosswww.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32407514Jeremy Clarkson's final Top Gear scenes to be shown later this year, boss of BBC2 confirmswww.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3049806/Jeremy-Clarkson-s-final-Gear-scenes-shown-later-year-boss-BBC2-confirms-won-t-drawn-replace-him.html#ixzz3Y21gDagaJeremy Clarkson's final Top Gear scenes WILL be screened later this year confirms BBC2 boss www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/jeremy-clarksons-final-top-gear-5562216 Jeremy Clarkson's final Top Gear scenes will be shown this summer, says BBC bosswww.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/572014/Jeremy-Clarkson-final-Top-Gear-BBC
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