OzTennis

Yeah right, I know they claimed 1 million people signed a petition but do you really believe that? 65 to 70 million didn't sign. Surely we have to draw the line somewhere about what is and what isn't acceptable? He was warned countless times in the past so punching a producer over something as trivial as not getting his own way on a meal wasn't the best career move and he has to accept the consequences.

I wonder if Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew) is available because apparently a grumpy OB is what the show needs.

OzTennis

When May was asked about the hotel incident he said, don't ask me, I was pissed at the time (i.e. I saw it and I think he overstepped the mark). Minder? He also thinks he's a bell end but a great guy.

GarryP

The way I look at it, broadcasting as we know it is on the cusp of some big changes. One of those is the shift to globalisation, with the local getting crowded out as iptv takes over.

Top Gear *was* one of the few properties the Beeb had that had global appeal. And by dealing with a fracas in this way the Beeb have thrown that, and $100m, away.

More seriously, picture what you consider to be the typical Top Gear viewer. Think of the demographic. Then try and imagine what BBC programmes that demographic is going to still want to watch on the BBC. There's no easy fit, is there? Sport on the BBC is very poor now, and the bulk of the programmes appeal to the mindset of the type of person who was happy to say Clarkson should be thrown off a cliff.

So why the hell should that demographic, which is a sizeable %age of the population (like it or not) want to continue to pay a licence fee for nothing?

I've likened this dumb and ill considered act to Ned Stark in Game of Thrones - taking the moral, by the book, 'right' action at each stage; and in doing so gotten it horribly wrong and end up losing their heads (I doubt the licence fee will now reach 2020).

In itself, it's a $100m avoidable loss to the Beeb. In the wider picture is probably a day they will look back on and regret as the removal vans call.

Swerv-o

Genius


S

criodain

What about calling the producer a "lazy Irish ******"?

Swerv-o

So who to replace him then?

I'm nominating Boris Johnson, Stephen Fry or Vicki Butler Henderson...


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JoeBloggs80

To everyone defending Clarkson:

If you were abused and attacked by a superior at work, and they kept their job on the basis they made the company money - would you have no problem with that?

GarryP

Think you are kind of missing that a superior abusing their staff is pretty much common, and they don't just keep their job, they get promoted. The only difference is they do it in snide and underhand ways that are within the rules, even if the effect is the same.

Or have you never had a boss like that? I can certainly remember more than one.

It's the position on the moral totem pole that gets me. Who's worse, the manager that shouts at a subordinate, or the one that sacks new hires after 11 months so that they never have 12 months served and thus become entitled to greater benefits and protections?

And don't forget, this producer had worked on Top Gear for 10 years - hardly hating it and Clarkson was he?

GarryP

Not possible to replace him. Best to accept that Top Gear, the show and the brand, is dead.

Swerv-o

Reading the report it looks like ABH - the guy ended up bleeding. Not exactly your average workplace incident. There was probably little choice but to sack him, irrespective of how popular the show was etc.


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moneypenny20

Irrelevant, they could have been best mates. Still doesn't make it ok for someone who's been repeatedly asked/told/warned by his bosses to pull his neck in to then physically and verbally abuse a colleague. First offence would be a different matter (possibly) but it wasn't. He's just a guy and it's just a programme produced by just a media outlet. Will TG finish? Yeah probably. Does it matter? No, not in the slightest. Will the BBC have to change? Yeah probably. Does it matter? No, not in the slightest.

GarryP

See, that's where we part company. The implications of one of the few trusted as unbiased media sources left in the marketplace ending up as roadkill DOES matter. I'd prefer a future with Murdoch and his descendents behind bars, not controlling media on a global scale without any counter. Does the end of TG ensure that? Nope. However it changes those odds markedly.

Hence my reference to Ned Stark.

Ho, hum, it's done now and things will now play out. Who knows, maybe they will be stupid enough to go to itv?

Amazulu

I don't agree with this but it was probably the right decision - you can't go around belting your work colleagues without there being repercussions

I'm sure the BBC will try and carry on with TG without Clarkson, Hammond and May but it won't work - so they have effectively killed off one of their greatest brands (and cash cows). Usually not a problem with a commercial organisation but the BBC is owned by UK taxpayers (it shouldn't be but it is), so they are now out of pocket

Thankfully I'm not one of them

scrubbedexpat098

Anyone stop and think whether this bloke WAS actually a complete tool, and deserved at least the verbal abuse? I read that he took himself to A&E, so no-one else gave a shite

sad day, but as Zulu said, can't wallop your work mates even if they do deserve it.

Sally Redux

Bizarre comment. It's £145.50 a year for the licence and Top Gear going is not going to change that.