Clarkson suspended from BBC

fryup

anyone know who the producer was? was it andy wilman?

Guy:Incognito

fryup wrote: »

anyone know who the producer was? was it andy wilman?

Oisin somebody.

It was in one of the articles about it.

jimgoose

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Oisin somebody.

It was in one of the articles about it.

Oisín Tymon.

ktulu123

Whole lot of nonsense over nothing methinks, James May said it himself

bnt

Well, the last Snickers ad campaign must have been effective, since I suspected - corrrectly - that they would use this to their advantage:



Now I've had a chance to think about this a bit more: this suspension is already costing Jezza a lot of money, as it should, and I think that's the way out of this mess. Advise Jezza to make a hefty donation to a charity of Oisin's choice, and I'm sure both will jump at the chance. Assuming Jezza wants to return: the news that he sold his shares a few months ago adds to the impression that he wants out.

I'm not a fan of Noel Edmonds, but he makes some interesting points about the BBC's handling of the situation.

“You have to laugh at the sheer incompetence of BBC management,” he said. “Here is a hugely popular production, arguably one of the BBC’s most valuable productions, which is apparently being pulled from the schedule because of one of the presenters [being] involved in an incident. Top Gear has multiple hosts and it is not as if the whole show is live and the content is created on a single day. So why not just re-edit what they have got and let the other two presenters continue? I find BBC’s position extraordinary in that on the one hand they say that Clarkson is not bigger than the BBC but on other hand they pull the show which rather suggests he is”.

Hunterbiker

JC isn't just a presenter though. He part owns the production company that makes the show too so surely the Beeb can't work with a company whose part owner allegedly assaulted one of its staff.

ScrubsfanChris

Hunterbiker wrote: »

JC isn't just a presenter though. He part owns the production company that makes the show too so surely the Beeb can't work with a company whose part owner allegedly assaulted one of its staff.

The BBC bought his share of the company I believe few years back.

Hunterbiker

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

The BBC bought his share of the company I believe few years back.

They bought the controlling stake in the production company but the other 2 still own a share of Bedder6 so he is still more than a presenter

Anjobe

Hunterbiker wrote: »

They bought the controlling stake in the production company but the other 2 still own a share of Bedder6 so he is still more than a presenter

The BBC bought Clarkson and Wilman out of Bedder6 in 2012 (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/9571854/Jeremy-Clarkson-set-for-15m-windfall.html). Clarkson has been on a standard 3-year BBC talent contract since then.

Sterling Archer

Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson initiated the BBC investigation which prompted his suspension, after he informed BBC bosses of the alleged "fracas".

BBC News understands that the star phoned BBC head of television, Danny Cohen, to report the incident.

Producer Oisin Tymon, with whom the altercation took place, is not believed to have filed his own complaint.

Interviews are expected to be held with the star and other parties next week, and the show has been taken off-air.

Clarkson has expressed regret over the incident, which his co-presenter James May labelled "a bit of a dust-up".

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31869967

mike2084

Sky News reporting that Clarkson may be hinting at his own exit. Sky are possibly delighting in keeping this story going.

http://news.sky.com/story/1444763/clarkson-hints-at-possible-top-gear-exit

Ruu

Next Sunday (March 22nd) episode also postponed.

http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2015/03/16/further-news-about-this-sundays-top-gear/

guttenberg

The investigation by Ken MacQuarrie has no time limit, considering the presenters contracts finish at the end of the month, any possible "punishment" by the inquiry could well be meaningless. I don't expect the series finale to be aired either. Sad days for one of the BBCs better shows!

fryup

guttenberg wrote: »

The investigation by Ken MacQuarrie has no time limit, considering the presenters contracts finish at the end of the month, any possible "punishment" by the inquiry could well be meaningless. I don't expect the series finale to be aired either. Sad days for one of the BBCs better shows!

so maybe thats why he punched him??

maybe the guy was getting on his nerves and in the back of his mind Clarkson said what the hell i'm leaving soon i might as well deck him now

(btw - not condoning what he did)

Nody

Well Jeremy claims he's fired but knowing him it's a way to trump up more headlines for his comeback; esp. as his colleagues have refused to finish filming without him (indicating that they expect him back).

grames_bond

'The Stig' riding the "Bring Back Clarkson" tank to BBC studios right now!

mike2084

The Daily Telegraph are reporting that Clarkson will be sacked tomorrow and Chris Evans is being mooted as a replacement.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11493270/Jeremy-Clarkson-to-be-sacked-by-the-BBC.html

Leonard Hofstadter

Won't be the same without Jezza. End of. Hope Hammo and Captain Slow leave as well. The BBC are a bunch of mad left wing liberal socialist loons (I should know since I live over there) and this was the proverbial last straw - any excuse to get rid of him as he hasn't fitted in with BBC tree hugging uber liberal bias for a very long time. It's well known that he and the director of BBC TV do not get on (to put it very mildly).

That said, Jezza is far from innocent - it's never right to punch someone at work - ever. In his defence, he reported the incident himself and tried on numerous occasions to speak to Oisín to try and reconcile and apologise, but couldn't.

Polar101

captainspeed wrote: »

The BBC are a bunch of mad left wing liberal socialist loons (I should know since I live over there) and this was the proverbial last straw - any excuse to get rid of him as he hasn't fitted in with BBC tree hugging uber liberal bias for a very long time./QUOTE]

Well the mad left wing socialist tree huggers didn't really need an excuse, since Clarkson did it all himself. In most work places you get sacked if you punch someone. Shame he'd do something idiotic like this.

bnt

Right now, the silence from both Clarkson and the BBC says more than any statement might. So ... who wants to see Chris Evans or Jodie Kidd in the job?

h3000

https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/580668592448016385

Anjobe

bnt wrote: »

Right now, the silence from both Clarkson and the BBC says more than any statement might. So ... who wants to see Chris Evans or Jodie Kidd in the job?

No, thank you. I think I'd prefer to stick to the repeats on Dave. Hopefully now May and Hammond do the decent thing and TG can die with what little dignity it has left.

pajor

Aaaand he is outta here.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736

Myrddin

Myrddin wrote: »

Actually, he really doesn't. He's a master of controversy, and quite an insightful and powerful presenter when he wants to be. As for this situation, I'd say Clarkson is pretty much invincible in the BBC as long as the viewers are there, and that this 'last warning' nonsense is just that, a nonsense token to appease his critics.

I must say I'm surprised he's gone. I'd be in the camp of recognising Clarksons worth and value (as above I also think he's a very effective presenter when he wants to be too), but if what I read in the Mail is true (the 20 minute verbal abuse then a physical assault), then it's the right call by the BBC. To turn a blind eye just wouldn't be acceptable.

I'd like to see the show lie down & rest now after this, as I think Top Gear without Clarkson is a show missing an iconic character, it's just never the same.

listermint

Myrddin wrote: »

I must say I'm surprised he's gone. I'd be in the camp of recognising Clarksons worth and value (as above I also think he's a very effective presenter when he wants to be too), but if what I read in the Mail is true (the 20 minute verbal abuse then a physical assault), then it's the right call by the BBC. To turn a blind eye just wouldn't be acceptable.

I'd like to see the show lie down & rest now after this, as I think Top Gear without Clarkson is a show missing an iconic character, it's just never the same.

As with what happened to Keyes and Gray in Sky Sports. Any show can move past the presenter TG is no different.

The show was hit and miss at times tbh.

Indulgent in many senses, a rebirth can work imo

Myrddin

listermint wrote: »

As with what happened to Keyes and Gray in Sky Sports. Any show can move past the presenter TG is no different.

I dunno, Clarkson was there at the very beginning of the new TG format, & sculpted it over the years. It's not as if he's someone that came along & then left. I'd watch it mostly for Clarkson being honest, and May too. Without Clarkson, I'm not sure if I would.

Ruu

And that is that then...

http://transmission.blogs.topgear.com/2015/03/25/bbc-releases-statement-on-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.”

Myrddin

took himself to Accident and Emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature

Well, that's that then. The right call by the BBC, & I say that as a fan of Clarkson. A sad ending really.

hullaballoo

I have to say I was of the view that it was probably just a minor incident but it seems to have been a lot more than just a punch, so it probably is the right call by the BBC.

That said, I don't think there's any resuscitating TG now and it should be just cut adrift. It has been gradually deteriorating over the past while and I have to say, even as a fan of Clarkson, some of the puerile crap that was going on, especially on the specials, was starting to just become irritating because there was so much of a focus on one-upmanship between the hosts rather than putting the cars to the test.

You'd have to be concerned for Clarkson himself now as well with regards to his TV career. This one incident (prolonged as it was) could be a career ender when there's such scrutiny in the UK as to the behaviour of small screen stars.

Ruu

The amount of comments abusing the BBC on various platforms is incredible. They couldn't do anything else but sack him in this situation.