Jeremy Clarkson suspended by BBC: Top Gear episode cancelled following 'fracas' with producer
The BBC has suspended Jeremy Clarkson following allegations of a fracas with a Top Gear producer.
The BBC2 show will not be broadcast this Sunday while the BBC investigates the allegation.
Clarkson was already on a final warning from the BBC following a string of accusations of racism.
The BBC said: "Following a fracas with a BBC producer Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended pending an investigation. No one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time."
Top Gear is a huge cash-cow for BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial wing. It is the world's most widely watched factual television programme according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Now, I know... Not a US show, not VT or even sports related, but it is the most watched show worldwide, and is a bit of a stunner to hear that the future of the show might actually be in question because of this. And in reality, the show cannot exist without Clarkson, and I highly doubt either James May nor Richard Hammond would even want to continue without him. Yes, the show has seen better days, but it would be very weird to not see this show on television going forward.
UPDATE: The BBC has canceled the remaining episodes of Season 22 as emerging details say he tried to punch a producer last week.
UPDATE: Jeremy Clarkson has been fired. Hammond and May have previously said they will not film without him. Top Gear is likely finished.
Comments
Wow, love watching this show. I think a lot of the "fracas" around him is BS.
It's a very entertaining show, but Clarkson continually oversteps the boundaries of propriety, and seldom gets punished adequately for it. I like the show, I like him, but he needs to watch his mouth on occasion.
What is Top Gear?
If it is anything like Top Gun, then Iron Eagle is better.
I should downvote this on principle alone!! Blasphemy! lol
It's too bad this happened....Top Gear is actually a pretty funny show, most of the time....and they get to test drive some extremely cool cars on the show.
Is it really the most watched show in the world? I've never heard of it.
For perspective, how popular would you guess the sport of Cricket is?
http://sporteology.com/top-10-popular-sports-world/
No accounting for what sports 3rd world riff-raff like Australia and New Zealand find entertaining.
I myself like to settle down with a bottle of Melbourne Old-and-Yellow and watch a rousing match of Bo-taoshi.
I've heard of cricket. And we even watch some BBC shows. But I've never heard of Top Gear. I assume it's about cars (the guy is sitting in a car) and I think about cars only when I need to begrudgingly fuel one up.
I know nothing about cars but that show is entertaining as hell. One of the shows that you can turn on and be mildly entertained every time.
I know ALOT about cars and love the show. I know when I press down on the one petal car goes faster press the other petal it slows down, the radio has music, there are cup holders. I mean who understands the magic of how it actual works?
Krak I don't care who you are.....that's fucked up. A leg for you. What's up with the Hannibal Lector head gear?
It is to keep ears from getting ripped off.
The report said the most widely watched "factual" show worldwide, which would probably exclude all scripted shows and sports. Not sure how Alum jumped to most watched show, but maybe it's true?
He is the grumpy old man. If you've ever had a chance to read one of his books it reads like your slightly racist, curmudgeon grandpa that began sentences with "I'm not racist but..."
The fact though is that Top Gear is a powerhouse. The show is leagues above any others and don't get me started on Top Gear USA.... and Clarkson is at the point of his career where he can push whatever buttons/boundaries he wants and be fine with it. In fact, I believe he said in an interview that the only way he wants to leave Top Gear is by being "booted off of it."
Is it worth noting that Top Gear is suspended with its future in doubt the morning after they put Tanner Foust (Top Gear USA presenter) in regular Top Gear in the US?
Yeah, I think it might be worth noting...
speaking of which a great sarcastic piece written on Top Gear USA presenters written by Captain Slow himself:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/columnists/jamesmay/8264356/Top-Gear...
Ok, regarding Top Gear USA. I like the hosts well enough, though Ferrara could be replaced by nearly anyone else and the show would be better, the larger issue for me is that it is so blatantly scripted that it takes out the appeal for me. I realize that Top Gear UK is also scripted but Clarkson, Hammond and May are brilliant in the delivery. Their remotes across the world are superbly produced and edited, as well as "acted" by the three. A "race" to the wherever actually feels like a race. Compare that to the latest Top Gear episode along the Appalachian Trail and the entire thing is fairly boring. The pit stop by Rutledge... come on... just have a phucking race already.
And the problem is that the USA version is 100% remotes. There is no studio, no celebrities in a reasonably priced car, no Stig... nothing but remotes. So filler, such as a pit stop gag is necessary to fill time. They need a better concept and format. Not identical but something that is more than a fake race or competition every episode.
Ugh.... Yeah, and see, what makes it even worse is that the show has actually been better since they eliminated the studio and the CIARPC. The celebs they brought in were achingly bad, and Rutledge was just unbelievably poor in his interactions with them all. And to make things even worse, THAT was the only time they actually appeared in the studio. Had they taken the regular way, and thrown back to the studio between every segment and even had some exclusive in-studio segments outside of the celeb interview, it could have been so much better.
And yes, the segments themselves have some horribly staged events, that it routinely takes away from the broadcasts. But at least the show is a bit fun, and it doesn't really take itself too seriously. With guys who sell the role a little better, it could be really good. But when every episode follows this outline it gets old:
1. Guys show up with 3 vehicles somewhere in the US to do a test.
2. Tanner brings a fast car, Rutledge brings a redneck mobile, and Adam brings an old beater.
3. Test #1 - Tanner does a burnout, Rutledge somewhat takes it seriously, Adam can't drive... Hilarious
4. Test #2 - More of the same
5. Test #3 - Race to point x. To make things interesting, Tanner has his car artificially worsened, Rutledge does something to slow himself down, and Adam looks like an idiot who can't drive.
6. Tanner wins the race and test drives a nice car.
... ugh... I hate that what you wrote is so true.
They shouldn't have faux copied the same format in the first place and they shouldn't have thrown it all out for the outline you so accurately wrote either. It needs it's own format.
Tanner is a serious racer in Rally Cross. Yet he comes across as flippant and simply a speed junkie, because all they want him to do is put his foot down and go for it. And because he is a Rally Cross driver any chance to put him in an off road situation, like the last episode, they do so. Compare that to UK, who if given the job to drive the App Trail would have brought supercars and raced on roads like the Skyline Drive.
It's such a great show. I just thought it would be better developed in USA version.
They did an episode where they drove part of the skyline drive on the way to the Virginia International Raceway. They kept to the speed limit (might be because of past trips here...)
I had heard Clarkson was on a last warning from the BBC due to foul language not racism. But in general, I agree there is no show without him. I can't see any of the others being willing to be the front man for the show.
for use of the N-word
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/10/top-gear-jeremy-clarkson-su...
Ah, so it was both at once, I just saw the final warning piece it didn't mention for what. Thanks for the clarification.
Nooooooo!
The guys great on TV and actually not a half-bad historian either but, as others have noted, he's just a shade on the racist side. Shade...haha....get it? Yeah, I'll show myself out....
edited because grammarz
The only show I watch on the BBC. They tried and Americanized version for BBC America but it did not last.
Ummm I'm pretty sure Top Gear with Clarkson and Co. IS broadcast on BBC Amercia here in the US.
It is apparently shown everywhere in the world. 350 million viewers, that is a bunch.
Wow...you are missing some of the best shows on TV. Much better than most American crap.
Updated the OP.
The BBC has canceled the three remaining episodes of the season.
Doesn't this happen every single year? He says something that pisses someone off, gets suspended, comes back, and does it all over again next year.
EDIT: Well, I guess he pushed everything a bit further this year.
I don't think Jeremy Clarkson is actually hateful of any particular race. He does push the envelope of 'political correctness' time and time again, but I don't think he's a real racist or a bigot. He makes sure to make fun of everyone, including himself and his comrades. To me, this is more a case of 'political correctness' muddying the lines of racism and teasing. I believe that Jeremy is a fiery TV personality with a loose lipped candor and somewhat degrading sense of humor, but not a racist. I think he has been pressured by the network to be more 'politically correct' which he probably disagrees with since it doesn't jive with his sense of humor.
Perhaps this battle has gone on behind the scenes for years and it's just now errupted. Jeremy Clarkson may have made several mildly offensive remarks over the years but he's no OU frat boy. He doesn't single anyone out and he doesn't carry hate with the words he uses. Everything is in Jest and people are losing sight of that. We're moving towards a world where we're not allowed to recognize our differences and make fun of them. We're living in a world where everyone gets a participation award and it's making everyone way too sensitive. Everyone could use a good tease from time to time to toughen them up and thicken their skin. Politicians need to stop drawing parallels between teasing and hatred.
This could seriously be the end of Top Gear which is a real shame to me. I'm not really a car guy but I love the show because of how edgy it is. It was refreshing to know that there was something out there that hadn't yet fallen victim to the pussification of society...but, Alas, Top Gear has been consumed by the monster that is 'political correctness', killing off a branch of comedy that has helped people cope with societal differences for centuries. R.I.P.
if people can't laugh at themselves, what can they laugh at?
/rant over
This is very true, unless you are a stand up comic there is no more stereotypical jokes about race. Racism exists still, but pointing out any difference that could be based on race today is asking for a public crucifixion.
Chiming in here since the one thing I may love more than football are cars. Hence my name on here...
Obviously Clarkson is a lot of things but the instance where he used the n-word he explained as simply being the way they said the rhyme when he was growing up. It was never meant to see the light of day and you can argue he should have simply said "tiger" to begin with but I actually believed his explanation and apology. What boggles my mind is the fact that the producers/editors/everyone else involved allow the other controversial footage to air at all. Clarkson may say it but he sure doesn't deliver the final tape to BBC headquarters. This has sort of become their shtick for some time now anyways. Always pushing the envelope racially.
All that being said I've gotten tired of the show recently. It's too scripted. The jokes are too predictable. It's like an episode of the Golden Girls to be honest. Given a situation you know that Clarkson will be the the Blanche character, delivering some inflammatory/scandalous remark; Hammond will be the clueless Rose type asking silly questions and playing the idiot, while May has taken the wiser Dorothy role and delivers well timed zingers to end the joke. You can pretty much write the scene yourself.
Take them out of the trio setting though and their real personalities come back, especially the sequences they review a car alone or travel somewhere by themselves.
Anyways, rant over. Who knows if this really means the end of Top Gear as we know it. It might be an opportunity to reinvent the format like they did when the current trio took over in '02/'03.
So does that mean the Stig is the Sophia character?
"Picture it. Gambon's Corner, 2004..."
This is my favorite show on television. I can't believe this is happened. I personally love Jeremy Clarkson and all of his so called edgy remarks. He is pretty much the main reason I watch the show each week.
there is a petition to reinstate JC on change.org I recommend voting if you haven't already
https://www.change.org/p/bbc-reinstate-jeremy-clarkson
As much as I like him and Top Gear, if he threw a punch at a producer he does deserve to be suspended. But if he punched a wall to emphasize a point, he doesn't.
I'm willing to bet the producer was pushing him beyond decency. I seriously doubt that he just decided to punch someone. I hate instigators that get away with things. I have zero info on what happened but I mean... it's Jeremy Clarkson punching you... that's not really something that is going to hurt. And he had to be pretty damn mad at someone to go for it.
The man is 6'4" tall and pretty big at that size. It might hurt a little. But like you we don't know the details so I will withhold judgement.
To be fair, the only other person that Clarkson has ever hit is Piers Morgan... So there's probably a fairly decent chance that the producer was a bit of an insufferable twat that deserved it.
precisely
I used to love Top Gear, but I actually stopped watching the show after the shit they pulled with Tesla.
that was stupidly bad, but I have never watched Top Gear for their objective reviews of cars. I like the reviews mostly but they are clearly biased in what they like. But the stuff with Tesla was spectacularly bad.
I get that it's not Car and Driver, but including blatant misinformation as to performance and recharge times and actually having all that scripted before the test drive was even shot is beyond the pale for me. That piece was a hit job.
definitely agree with you
Heard Clarkson was transferring to Northwestern FWIW
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736
It's offical, Jeremy Clarkson has been fired.
It would be terrible, but last night I imagined him, James, and Hammond coming stateside to revive car talk
Rumor is Netflix is going to offer the three of them.
That would be a huge get for Netflix. An established international brand (did I really just say that?) as a Netflix exclusive would be crazy.
I guess the big question now is do they own Top Gear or does the BBC? Can they take their show to another channel or do they have to make a new show?
Oh I'm sure BBC owns the rights to the name. But if all three started a new car show, I think people would get the idea.
Clarkson and a producer used to own 50 percent of the show but sold it to the BBC, apparently it caused some friction between Hammond, May and Clarkson because Clekson was making millions more than them and the BBC refused to pay May and Hammond any portions of the profit.
Reading Hammond's tweets and interview with May and it sounds like they are done also now.
They have both been vocal on social media with their full support of Clarkson. Top Gear is done, but the spirit of the show will continue elsewhere.
It's a shame that the 3 signed away their rights to the name with their last contract extension. Now, they're going to have a few issues with their new format when they move. Notably, they don't own the Top Gear track, that was signed over to the BBC. Not sure they own the proprietary rights to The Stig, either.
I don't think BBC outright owns the airfield track, but I don't think they will let the new show rent it also.
The one and only Spencer Hall from EDBS wrote a thing:
http://www.sbnation.com/2015/3/25/8286741/top-gear-dead-jeremy-clarkson
http://bgr.com/2015/06/09/netflix-top-gear-tv-car-show/
All is right with the world. James, Richard and Jeremy are headed to Netflix.
YES
Nothing has been announced, yet.... But yes, there is a LOT of smoke around that rumor.
There's also one more BBC Top Gear episode airing before its all over. Apparently its airing in the UK this weekend, and is still TBD for when it goes international.
Last episode played today in UK, any rumors about US playing?
http://www.tflcar.com/2015/07/final-clarkson-top-gear-bbc-america-schedu...
Looks like it will air next week.
watched it already... not a great send off
You and your China TV. How good could it have really been, no Jeremy and most high level staff probably leaving.
True. The situation doesn't merit for great programming, but I think when you watch it you can see how lame it was. Not sure they should have bothered to do one at all.
Thanks for the update. I was re-watching the Patagonia special last night on BBC: America.
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33715671
Amazon Prime has signed the guys.
Your loss, BBC
What does everyone think of the new show on BBC?
I miss the old one
Not much longer until the Grand Tour starts up.
Yeah I can't wait. New Top Gear has potential but not with Chris Evans at the helm. I know it's early but I really am starting to not like his style at all. LeBlanc seems fine during the recorded bits and i have a feeling he could be an excellent primary host, with Sabine and one or both of the guys from Extra Gear, and it would be a genuinely good show. Just Evans is doing his best to ruin the whole atmosphere.
Saw they lost 1.6 million viewers from week 1 to week 2 and that was only in the UK. Not good.
Yea not an Evans fan. LeBlanc I'm really surprised at how much I like him in this.
Evans is making himself really easy to hate. He spends all of his time on Twitter bragging about the ratings and how they're so much better than the old Top Gear and when the ratings went downhill he went on saying that ratings don't matter. I would say he's a bit egotistical (probably an understatement). The guy has to realize that there would not be a Top Gear for him to host without Clarkson/Hammond/May. Enough with the jabs at the previous guys seeing as how they did all the work.
Edit to add some of the tweets:
No kidding with the ego. The first episode alone... First he has one of the Top Gun pilots pretend to vomit after a ride with Sabine to make himself not look so bad when the footage of himself doing that airs later this year, then he completely rigs the challenge to have LeBlancs car practically fail from the start all the while trying real hard to keep reminding us he had nothing to do with it... Mmmmhmmmm
What made Top Gear good was that the presenters cared to make a good show, not to win challenges. They didn't care how foolish they looked in any situation and most of the time actively looked to capitalize on self degradation humor. Evans so far has shown he simply has too much ego for this platform and from everything I've read about his personality, this was to be completely expected.
He must have watched the American Top Gear where the other two co-hosts have to sabotage the professional race drivers car to try and win challenges.
the American top gear is rubbish. I tried to watch one episode of it (mostly out of curiosity, more than anything) and it was so awful that I couldn't even get through the entire episode. I haven't even had the same curiosity about the new BBC Top Gear. I'm just expecting it to be awful. I'm really looking forward to Grand Tour
After watching the first episode and half of the second one, I've come to this conclusion: Chris Evans watched about 3 episodes of old Top Gear and said "Clarkson shouts a lot and cheats incessantly. Right. I know how to host Top Gear now." Utterly failing to realize that the reason Clarkson's cheating was so hilarious is because of how much it wound Hammond up... LeBlanc just taking it whenever Evans cheats is booooooring.
I do like LeBlanc, though, he's not trying to imitate any of the former three, he's his own guy.
Exactly.
Whenever Clarkson, Hammond, or May messed with one of the others, it was purely for the humor in it, and it was great because all 3 knew how to laugh at themselves. I mean, think of the times when they wired the electrical of the horn to the brake pedal, or when they glued James' stereo shut while playing Euro techno at full blast, or all the times Jeremy played Genesis on full blast for Hammond. Those guys knew how to take a punch to make the joke great.
Compare that to Evans, whose ego is so large he had to stage 2 separate things in the first episode alone to make himself look better. Just.... not a good look. Maybe he proves me wrong, and we'll see over the course that he can take a punch like the best of them, but as I said, from the other shows he's been a part of, the way he's acting in social media, and the way his reputation is in the UK, I wouldn't bet on it.
Plus, you can tell when people on TV genuinely like each other and those guys were clearly good friends. You can't just replace chemistry like that with 3 new guys who barely know each other.
I don't understand why they didn't lock the new presenters together in a seedy motel room with only one bed and give them a couple handles of bourbon... That'll build chemistry fast :P
I thought the new top gear was supposed to have clarkson et al in it and was supposed to be on amazon?
They have a new show called the "Grand Tour" on Amazon. The BBC owns the rights to all the Top Gear stuff.
I kept thinking that Chris Evans in Top Gear was the actor from Captain America, and disappointed how many people hated him. Time to sub Chris "Captain America" Evans in to replace the imposter?
'MURICA!
Oh boy just caught the second episode... not good
My wife did have an interesting observation at the end, though, as we were watching the after show. Evans was much, MUCH more laid back and natural in that setting, and both his interview there and the pre taped segment from the McLaren bit were actually good. Give him time to calm down into the role and the show might have potential. Unfortunately we might have to wait a season or two before that happens, so we'll have to deal with the shouty loud ego man for a while longer.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/26/matt-leblanc-is-planning-to-q...
Be interesting to see if these rumors have any legs.
for those who follow the American Top Gear (I don't) they just got cancelled by BBC. The article does leave the impression there is potential for them to continue the show with another network....if they can find one willing to pick them up.
The Grand Tour has a new logo:
Which is just so perfectly 80s.
i don't hate it
I think I remember seeing this logo somewhere in
Chris Evans has resigned from Top Gear. Which could either be because the ratings have been terrible and he's mostly to blame, or because police have confirmed they are currently investigating a series of sexual assault allegations against Evans going back as far as 20 years.
I linked to an article above where LeBlanc wasn't happy with Evans as a co host either.
Nope, not the new Dacia Sandero.... The Grand Tour just announced when the show will be available to stream...
It will be 12:01 am GMT on November 18th... Which for those of us on the East Coast of the US, translates to 7:01 pm tomorrow. The wait is almost over!
CAN'T. WAIT.
I admit, I am going to watch it. Going to be interesting to see how they handle the new format.
IIRC, though, unlike Netflix who releases it all at once, it's going to be one show a week until they're all out...
Which I feel is a good thing. Whenever a Netflix series drops it turns my entire week upside down as I keep watching. This way I get to enjoy it for longer, don't have to wait until I finish everything to go online, and don't have to wait as long after the season is over. However, these are standalone episodes so it wont be that bad having to wait since you wont be kept in suspense for plot reasons.
what type of monster wants to wait a week to see how a show ends?
Yeah, I mean, I'm just saying... does knowing exactly to the minute when it drops matter, since it'll only be one episode for now? *shrug*
It's here!
OMG I loved it!
but that could be partially since I've been on a real TG drought
I thought it was pretty cool but I'm going to miss "star in a reasonably priced car" and The Stig...looks like they do some cool stuff though