Jeremy Clarkson suspended from the BBC...

siremoon

I like Clarkson.  I like Top Gear.  In fact it is about the only programme I watch on BBC television.

I see this as another triumph for the pinko lefty politically correct mafia that infest the upper reaches of the BBC, an organisation which imo ranks as one of the most pompous, arrogant and unaccountable in the country.  The organisation that did nothing whilst some of its talent was repeatedly carrying out sexual assaults on its premises despite it being common knowledge.  It suppressed a Newsnight feature on the most notorious of those and instead broadcast eulogies to the perpetrator.  It allowed John Sweeney to continue without a murmour despite being involved in more than one fracas of his own making whilst filming pieces for Panarama.  Now it suspends Clarkson for a "fracas" off camera.  Overreaction?  Double standards?  What the BBC?  Well I never.  I smell a witch hunt and it stinks. 

Emp_Fab

Me too.  I think Clarkson, being the arrogant gobshite he is, probably lords it about and the BBC have decided he's getting too big for his boots, so turns a non-event off-camera into a major incident.

Fretwired

From what I've heard the decision to can at least two Top Gear programmes had been made before the fracas - the BBC wanted to show the series finale and that's what caused the punch-up. Whilst I enjoy Top Gear this series has been a bit hit and miss and the show is probably past its sell by date.

About food .. something doesn't add up ..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2988412/Top-Gear-s-Jeremy-Clarkson-suspended-BBC-fracas-producer.html

lustycourtier

For a few years US Top Gear has been much more enjoyable.

Jalapeno

His daughter Emily also tweeted: 'Oh God, BBC please take him back... He's started cooking'.
)

hotpot

Bucket

Wolfetone said:

My vote is to keep TG going, replace the vulgar oaf Clarkson and replace him with Chris Evans or Guy Martin....now that would be good. :-)

Absolutely not - IMO it isn't Top Gear without Clarkson, Hammond and May together.

I know they've replaced presenters in the past but that all happened when they didn't have half the viewers they have now. This current line-up is the longest-running and the one everyone associates with the show, and clearly the one everyone wants to see.

boogieman

Adam_MD;553534" said:

The weird thing is any of the location shoots from the remaining episodes will have already been filmed a while ago and probably cost an absolute ton of money. Why would the bbc not show them when they've sunk so much money into the season. It's not like top gear doesn't pull in good ratings every week.

I know one of the unshown episodes is the Three Stooges driving vintage Alfa cabrios round the Amalfi Coast. We were in Positano for our honeymoon last September and the locals were bursting to tell everyone what they'd seen.

stickyfiddle

TG is awful without Hammond, May AND Clarkson. You only have to look at the American version to realise that.

They'd be stupid to cancel it as its only TG and Doctor Who that actually make them any money globally. Incidentally, those are also the only BBC programmes that I watch from abroad.

Teetonetal

RocknRollDave said:

Teetonetal said:

Ah well, liked Top Gear since Clarkson took it on. I like the stupidity of it. Clarkson is a bit of a dick and I reckon a total arse to work with.. but this is true of TV in general... all that matters is do enough people watch it..

I played guitar on a TFI Friday show once, now Chris Evans... there is someone I hope I never meet again..

Even Chris Evans admits that Chris Evans was a knob back then....hopefully he's nicer these days. Tell us more about playing on TFI Friday, though!

@RocknRollDave

Nothing too exciting I was at GIT in 1997 at the time in turnham green - they were asked to provide some guitarists for TFI friday to play the Riverboat song whilst John Cleese made his entrance. There were 20 of us. I just remember in rehearsals him screaming at his production guys about the way the stage was set and generally being very bad tempered. Loved the show though... edit vaguely remember I got paid £50

I also did some stuff for John Peel's show that year (1997) - I had to play some deep purple's you fool no one for a  segway.- didn't get used though.

That's the extent of my professional recording career

Col_Decker

I like a bit of TG, but I do find it odd that JC gets criticised by the BBC and put on a last warning for his comments in pre recorded shows. The slope on a bridge and the inny menny miny moe bits were Im sure all edited and seen by the BBC before they were broadcast, seems a bit off that the BBC then point the finger at him for something that they were responsible for showing.

FX_Munkee

So let me just check I've got this right.
The BBC, a body which is so desperate to reign in its budget that it has decided to stop broadcasting an entire channel in the near future, has decided, that it is a good idea not to show one of the most watched shows on the entire planet?
In which case I shall await the cancellation of Dr Who over "unreasonable catering demands...".

Samgb

siremoon said:

I like Clarkson.  I like Top Gear.  In fact it is about the only programme I watch on BBC television.

I see this as another triumph for the pinko lefty politically correct mafia that infest the upper reaches of the BBC, an organisation which imo ranks as one of the most pompous, arrogant and unaccountable in the country.  The organisation that did nothing whilst some of its talent was repeatedly carrying out sexual assaults on its premises despite it being common knowledge.  It suppressed a Newsnight feature on the most notorious of those and instead broadcast eulogies to the perpetrator.  It allowed John Sweeney to continue without a murmour despite being involved in more than one fracas of his own making whilst filming pieces for Panarama.  Now it suspends Clarkson for a "fracas" off camera.  Overreaction?  Double standards?  What the BBC?  Well I never.  I smell a witch hunt and it stinks. 

In no way is the BBC currently operating from a left-wing agenda. Certainly from an editorial/news standpoint that is just not true. Thats not really the issue here though.

It may be the case that they are hyper aware that they cant afford another scandal right now and that is why Clarkson has been found out. Its a shame as ive watched and enjoyed it and found him amusing in the past even though i dont like his politics. I just think a while back he went past the point marked 'curmudgeonly' and entered the realm of 'actively unpleasant for the sake of it' and this has been inevitable.

I wouldnt be surprised if they end up backtracking though. Lots of money at stake and he is hugely popular.

Samgb

Bucket said:

Wolfetone said:

My vote is to keep TG going, replace the vulgar oaf Clarkson and replace him with Chris Evans or Guy Martin....now that would be good. :-)

Absolutely not - IMO it isn't Top Gear without Clarkson, Hammond and May together.

I know they've replaced presenters in the past but that all happened when they didn't have half the viewers they have now. This current line-up is the longest-running and the one everyone associates with the show, and clearly the one everyone wants to see.

Maybe if they replaced him with someone who didnt act the tit you'd like it even more? Just saying.

RocknRollDave

Teetonetal said:

RocknRollDave said:

Teetonetal said:

Ah well, liked Top Gear since Clarkson took it on. I like the stupidity of it. Clarkson is a bit of a dick and I reckon a total arse to work with.. but this is true of TV in general... all that matters is do enough people watch it..

I played guitar on a TFI Friday show once, now Chris Evans... there is someone I hope I never meet again..

Even Chris Evans admits that Chris Evans was a knob back then....hopefully he's nicer these days. Tell us more about playing on TFI Friday, though!

@RocknRollDave

Nothing too exciting I was at GIT in 1997 at the time in turnham green - they were asked to provide some guitarists for TFI friday to play the Riverboat song whilst John Cleese made his entrance. There were 20 of us. I just remember in rehearsals him screaming at his production guys about the way the stage was set and generally being very bad tempered. Loved the show though... edit vaguely remember I got paid £50

I also did some stuff for John Peel's show that year (1997) - I had to play some deep purple's you fool no one for a  segway.- didn't get used though.

That's the extent of my professional recording career

Cool!

lloyd

I don't watch the show but obviously a lot of people like it (lots of people read the Sun too though...) but this is not the kind of guy I want my forced tax money going on....

I don't moan about the raft of shite-Mrs Browns Boys, BBC3 (except American Dad) Dr Who, the Bowls etc etc-that's on the BBC as that shite is not to my taste and it has to cater for everyone (and I have an off switch on the tv) and appreciate the stuff I do watch-Rugby, nature documentaries etc etc.

This article kind of nails it on the head for me:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11462829/Jeremy-Clarkson-too-valuable-to-sack.html

More bad handling from the BBC of a powerful guy who was too lucrative to get rid of (not that I'd compare Clarkson with the Peado stuff).

Time for him to take his popular format and go to another commercially funded platform.

Reverend

Pretty sure if I hit someone at work I would get suspended, pending a full investigation and disciplinary.

Kebabkid

I was lucky enough to be part of the audience for Top Gear a couple of years ago and watching Clarkson in action was a lesson in how to be the consumate professional presenter. He was articulate, intelligent and could think, and be funny, on his feet. His delivery was faultless, whereas the other 2 had to do take after take after take and were no where near as entertaining.

If he insulted/teased an audience member on camera, the moment he was off camera, he went up to them and made sure they were ok and knew that it was all part of "the act".

I'm getting to be less of a fan of him based on some of the recent "controversial stuff" and stories I've heard about him, but I don't think Top Gear would work without Clarkson, or the three of them to be honest. There's a certain dynamic and interplay there that just works.

It seems a petition of a couple of hundred thousand signatures within 24hrs supports what many are saying here. He is a Marmite Cock and let's see if he gets the last say on this.

Fretwired

The BBC doesn't have a choice - two of its employees were involved in a fracas which means an investigation has to take place. Clarkson has just said he didn't actually hit anybody.

Adam_MD

Reverend;553722" said:

Pretty sure if I hit someone at work I would get suspended, pending a full investigation and disciplinary.

Are you one of the top earners in your company though and do you bring in more business than almost everyone else? All companies operate like this the further you go up the good chain the less rules apply.