Jeremy Clarkson Terminated

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/bbc/11480416/Jeremy-Clarkson-to-be-sacked-by-BBC-live.html

Lord Hall said: "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."

Full statement

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32054004

dear discovery/velocity/whoever.

sign all 3 up as soon as their contracts are up. please. put us out of the TGUSA misery. i like tanner and rut, but they are not fun to watch and dry as hell even when trying to be funny. hell bring them here, call it sixth gear, and put me on with them as the token american who likes big cars and pickup trucks, they can make fun of me all they want as long as i get paid and nobody throws a fit and punches me in the face.

In reply to patgizz:

Actually, for the money involved, you'd probably take a punch in the face per episode.

Any truth to the rumor of Netflix offering him a gig?

patgizz wrote: dear Netflix, stuff

Fixed that for you!

that works too, i have netflix. as long as bbc doesn't throw a fit and remove top gear from it, as i'm still catching up.

Dear Jeremy, come do Nascar coverage, they're known to occasionally throw punches after fights.

IMO the show could use a shakeup, it's felt pretty forced for the past couple of seasons. I know I'm in the minority but Clarkson was my least favorite presenter.

bearmtnmartin wrote: I wonder what sabine is doing?

It is still possible she is the Stig already.

iadr wrote:

alfadriver wrote:

gamby wrote: I just hope whatever they end up doing ends up available on American TV. Should be an interesting next year. It's pretty astonishing that the BBC would so jeopardize such a massive cash cow. Sure, we'll all watch the replacement with whatever cast it is, but it won't match this current lineup.

Perhaps they should sue Clarkson for being such a moron and assulting someone. It's not as if they had much of a choice.

Wow, you have a low tolerance for dispute. Not healthly IMO. What entertainment figures do you watch, what historical figures do you admire? Do you think they should be saddled retroactively by your judgemental ism? Yes I'm annoyed you'd post that.

Yes, I personally don't find it acceptable to assult someone. If that annoys you, well, that just sucks for you, and I'm not sorry for it. My workplace does not accept assulting people, too. I would be fired had I done that. I'm perfectly ok with someone else being fired for it.

If you don't want to buy a Ford because we don't condone workplace violence, that's fine with me.

I can't blame the BBC for firing him. He punched a dude for booking him at a hotel that didn't have hot food available at the time he showed up, which was hours late. That's literally what it was about.

alfadriver wrote:

iadr wrote:

alfadriver wrote:

gamby wrote: I just hope whatever they end up doing ends up available on American TV. Should be an interesting next year. It's pretty astonishing that the BBC would so jeopardize such a massive cash cow. Sure, we'll all watch the replacement with whatever cast it is, but it won't match this current lineup.

Perhaps they should sue Clarkson for being such a moron and assulting someone. It's not as if they had much of a choice.

Wow, you have a low tolerance for dispute. Not healthly IMO. What entertainment figures do you watch, what historical figures do you admire? Do you think they should be saddled retroactively by your judgemental ism? Yes I'm annoyed you'd post that.

Yes, I personally don't find it acceptable to assult someone. If that annoys you, well, that just sucks for you, and I'm not sorry for it. My workplace does not accept assulting people, too. I would be fired had I done that. I'm perfectly ok with someone else being fired for it. If you don't want to buy a Ford because we don't condone workplace violence, that's fine with me.

And it isn't like this is a first offense for him either. Maybe first physical altercation, but is he really someone you'd be ok with being the face of your brand?

GameboyRMH wrote: I can't blame the BBC for firing him. He punched a dude for booking him at a hotel that didn't have hot food available at the time he showed up, which was hours late. That's literally what it was about.

The Telegraph has the findings:

Specific facts about the assault found by Ken MacQuarrie, who undertook the BBC investigation: :: On 4 March, studio recording of Top Gear had taken place in Surrey and the presenters had travelled that same evening to the location shoot in North Yorkshire; :: The incident occurred on a patio area of the Simonstone Hall Hotel, where Oisin Tymon was working on location for Top Gear; :: The physical attack lasted around 30 seconds and was halted by the intervention of a witness; :: It is the case that Oisin Tymon offered no retaliation; :: The verbal abuse was directed at Oisin Tymon on more than one occasion – both during the attack and subsequently inside the hotel – and contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack him. The abuse was at such volume as to be heard in the dining room, and the shouting was audible in a hotel bedroom; :: Derogatory and abusive language, relating to Oisin Tymon and other members of the Top Gear team, continued to be used by Jeremy Clarkson inside the hotel, in the presence of others, for a sustained period of time; :: It is clear that Oisin Tymon was shocked and distressed by the incident, and believed that he had lost his job; :: Following the attack, I understand that Oisin Tymon drove to a nearby A&E department for examination; :: Over the subsequent days, Jeremy Clarkson made a number of attempts to apologise to Oisin Tymon by way of text, email and in person; and :: It is the case that Jeremy Clarkson reported the incident to BBC management.

And as posted in their blog before that, had they not fired him, the BBC would be liable for wrongful termination had someone else been fired for the same thing.

So they really had no alternative.

GameboyRMH wrote: I can't blame the BBC for firing him. He punched a dude for booking him at a hotel that didn't have hot food available at the time he showed up, which was hours late. That's literally what it was about.

I just read that the physical assault wasn't just taking one punch as was reported earlier, but lasted 30 seconds and resulted in the guy going to the hospital. I'm not a stickler for technicalities, and didn't really have the opinion that he should get canned for taking a swing at a guy, but now that I know that the assault went much further than that, and that there was a much longer period of verbal abuse, I have to agree that he had to go. I'm sad about it, but I commend the BBC for putting ethics above profits, because they are likely to lose a lot of money because of this.

Also, since when did james may's twitter thing say "Former TV presenter only remembered for saying 'Oh cock'."?

Is that new, or did that happen during all of the #stillunemployed stuff?

James knows that the world is now watching himself and Hammond to see if they are going to stick to their vow to not do the show without Jeremy. If they do, after what Jeremy did, that is some extraordinary loyalty. IMO, they are completely within their rights to re-sign with the BBC and keep on doing the show with a new third presenter.

Tom_Spangler wrote: James knows that the world is now watching himself and Hammond

Here's what May said: "Reporters outside my house: if you're going to hang around on small streets with your car engines idling all day, don't buy a bloody diesel."

Tom_Spangler wrote: IMO, they are completely within their rights to re-sign with the BBC and keep on doing the show with a new third presenter.

I suppose they have to weigh that against how well the show will do without Jeremy - if they re-sign and then the show tanks, they're out in the cold. On one of the links to UK news sites there was reference to an online poll where 90% said they won't watch Top Gear without Clarkson (of course, online polls are not hard data, but I think it's something they'll have to consider.)

http://blog.caranddriver.com/video-james-may-comments-on-jeremy-clarkson-bbc-firing/

DaveEstey wrote: The only replacement I'll accept is Chris Harris.

YES!

I'd like to see all three move to a paid cable provider so they don't have to be bleeped or censored.

I don't get the Chris Harris love. I don't hate the guy and find him entertaining occasionally, but where does this gushing man-love come from?

I'll bet he's got a strong non compete in his contract. I know many companies will want to pick him up, but he is a serious liability risk after this event.

PubBurgers wrote: IMO the show could use a shakeup, it's felt pretty forced for the past couple of seasons. I know I'm in the minority but Clarkson was my least favorite presenter.

My feelings,too.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: I'll bet he's got a strong non compete in his contract. I know many companies will want to pick him up, but he is a serious liability risk after this event.

Maybe not.

Hall said: “It is with great regret that I have told Jeremy Clarkson today that the BBC will not be renewing his contract."

I'm guessing if the BBC doesn't renew the contract the rules are quite different than if he was terminated during the contract.

For the wilder shows, punching someone and being as ass, isn't a liability, it's an asset.