Update: This morning, the BBC did officially fire Jeremy Clarkson. The BBC also confirmed that the network will still attempt to put together new episodes of Top Gear without the famous host.
Today, several outlets are reporting that Jeremy Clarkson is getting fired by the BBC. The news comes several days after the popular Top Gear host was suspended from the series following a fracas on set. The problems on set have become very public at this point, and now multiple outlets say that the BBC has made the decision to cut Jeremy Clarkson from the Top Gear lineup.
The scoop has come shortly after news broke that Clarkson was actually responsible for punching Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon in the face after he was told he could not have hot food after a long day of filming. In the time since, Clarkson was put on leave from the series, and the network has been undergoing an internal investigation. According to The Telegraph, that investigation did not end up finding in Clarkson’s favor. The outlet is reporting that the BBC will let Clarkson go, although he will “be thanked” for his work on the hugely successful series Top Gear, which is popular in the UK but also internationally.
Of course, the BBC has not come out to make an official statement at this point; regardless, the deal seems pretty set in stone. Clarkson’s on set problems have been all over the media since his suspension became public. The TV personality may even have contributed to the media heyday when he spoke out at a charity event just the other night. During a speech, he called the powers-that-be in charge of the BBC “fucking bastards.” If he wasn’t in trouble before, he certainly didn’t help his situation with those inflammatory remarks.
It’s not as if these incidents are isolated, either. Clarkson has been in trouble with the media several times in the past for making comments that have not been politically correct. Examples of this include a racial slur that was caught on tape when he recited a children’s nursery rhyme. He’s even pissed off the Mexican embassador to the UK due to racial slurs before. Despite these issues, he’s been a well-liked on-air personality with an avid fanbase that enjoys the way he and his team discuss automobiles. His boisterous personality has made him popular even when his language has not.
The real question is where Jeremy Clarkson’s firing will leave Top Gear. The remaining two Top Gear presenters, Richard Hammond and James May, have reportedly refused to shoot new episodes while the BBC makes a decision regarding Clarkson’s fate. The Telegraph’s report indicates that the BBC2 will still continue to film new episodes of Top Gear, but the network isn’t saying anything about Clarkson’s co-presenters at this point. Whatever ends up happening, it’s unlikely to signal the end of Clarkson’s career, but his next move is certainly up in the air.
We’ll let you know as soon as the BBC confirms the firing.
