Jeremy Clarkson sacked from Top Gear

[Belly Buster]

Dumb move from the BBC, Top Gear is their biggest commercial export and will fade without Clarkson at the helm.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32052736

Jeremy Clarkson's contract will not be renewed after an "unprovoked physical attack" on a Top Gear producer, the BBC's director general has confirmed.

Tony Hall said he had "not taken this decision lightly" and recognised it would "divide opinion".

However, he added "a line has been crossed" and he "cannot condone what has happened on this occasion".

Clarkson was suspended on 10 March, following what was called a "fracas" with Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon.

The row, which took place in a Yorkshire hotel, was said to have occurred because no hot food was provided for him following a day's filming.

An internal investigation began last week, led by Ken MacQuarrie, the director of BBC Scotland.

It found that Mr Tymon took himself to hospital after he was subject to an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack".

"During the physical attack Oisin Tymon was struck, resulting in swelling and bleeding to his lip. The verbal abuse was sustained over a longer period, both at the time of the physical attack and subsequently."

The verbal abuse "contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack" Mr Tymon, who believed he had lost his job, Mr MacQuarrie noted in his report.

The "physical attack lasted around 30 seconds and was halted by the intervention of a witness," he added.

[Belly Buster]

It found that Mr Tymon took himself to hospital after he was subject to an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack".

In fairness if you don't give the star his steak rider then that's hardly unprovoked.

[Sanlmar]

Bill Burr does a bit about how the Discovery Channel does carburetors now not animals. 97.8% of the shows are steaming piles.

Top Gear was original and erudite. As you Brit's say, you want a little "piss & vinegar" to keep things real.

Grown man can't take a punch at work? From a geriatric presenter, no less?

This is what's wrong with America too. Simple assault at the work place has a role in modern capitalism IMO.

I will never watch this show again.

Sod off, BBC

[Sanlmar]

I see you lurking Sparten.

Can't you mark the decline in American politics when fisticuffs on the Senate floor and duels at a 100 paces disappeared from the landscape?

Aaron Burr was god.

[4Dragons]

Don't shit where you eat people.

[Sanlmar]

Top Gear: Jeremy Clarkson's biggest controversies - in quotes[

http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...versies-quotes

Lorry driver ‘joke’ (November 2008)

While driving a lorry: “What matters to lorry drivers? Murdering prostitutes? Fuel economy?” He added: “This is a hard job [driving a lorry] and I’m not just saying this to win favour with lorry drivers: change gear; change gear; change gear; check your mirrors; murder a prostitute … ” Media watchdog Ofcom cleared Clarkson, ruling that the comments were justified by the context in which they were made.

Calls Gordon Brown “a one-eyed idiot’ (February 2009)

Comparing Gordon Brown to Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd: “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a world leader [Rudd] admit we really are in deep shit. He genuinely looked terrified. Poor man, he’s actually seen the books. We have this one-eyed Scottish idiot who keeps telling us everything’s fine and he’s saved the world and we know he’s lying, but he’s smooth at telling us.” Clarkson personally apologised to the then prime minister.

‘TV obsessed with hiring black Muslim lesbians’ (October 2009)

Clarkson told Top Gear magazine: “The problem is that television executives have got it into their heads that if one presenter on a show is a blond-haired, blue-eyed heterosexual boy, the other must be a black Muslim lesbian. Chalk and cheese, they reckon, works. But here we have Top Gear setting new records after six years using cheese and cheese. It confuses them.”

Burka comments (July 2010)

On distractions when driving: “Honestly, the burka doesn’t work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up it came, red G-string and stockings.”

‘Special needs’ jibe (October 2010)

On the Ferrari F430 Speciale: “it was a bit wrong ... that smiling front end ... it looked like a simpleton ... [it] should have been called the 430 Speciale Needs”.

Mexico insults (February 2011)

Richard Hammond joked that Mexican cars reflected national characteristics, saying they were “just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat”. May described Mexican food as “like sick with cheese on it”. Clarkson predicted they would not get any complaints because “at the Mexican embassy, the ambassador is going to be sitting there with a remote control like this [snores]. They won’t complain, it’s fine.” The BBC was forced to apologise to the Mexican ambassador but also defended the show’s presenters, saying national stereotyping was part of British humour.

George Michael jibe (July 2011)

In a review of a Jaguar XKR-S: “It’s very fast and very, very loud. And then in the corners it will get its tail out more readily than George Michael.” In response, the singer branded Clarkson “homophobic” and “pig ugly”.

The One Show rant (November 2011)

On public sector workers taking part in a 24-hour strike: “I’d have them all shot. I would have them taken outside and executed them in front of their families.” Some 31,000 people complained and the BBC was later forced to apologise.

Indian incident (January 2012)

While driving a Jaguar around an Indian slum with a toilet fitted in the boot: “This is perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the trots.” He also made jokes about Indian clothes, trains and even the country’s history.

Thai ‘slope’ controversy (March 2014)

As a man walked towards himself and Richard Hammond on a Thai bridge, Clarkson said “That is a proud moment - but there’s a slope on it.” Hammond replied: “You’re right, it’s definitely higher on that side.” Media watchdog Ofcom found that Clarkson had deliberately used an “offensive racial term” that caused offence and breached broadcasting rules.

The ‘N-word’ row (May 2014)

In a Top Gear outtake, Clarkson recited the beginning of the children’s nursery rhyme “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” before apparently mumbling: “Catch a n-word by his toe.” He later wrote in the Sun: “I’ve been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked.”

Liverpool comments (February 2015)

In a Sunday Times column about the city: “People up there earn less, die more quickly, have fewer jobs and live in houses that are worth the square root of sod all.”

[Belly Buster]

Top Gear: Jeremy Clarkson's biggest controversies - in quotes

http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...versies-quotes

Lorry driver ‘joke’ (November 2008)

While driving a lorry: “What matters to lorry drivers? Murdering prostitutes? Fuel economy?” He added: “This is a hard job [driving a lorry] and I’m not just saying this to win favour with lorry drivers: change gear; change gear; change gear; check your mirrors; murder a prostitute … ” Media watchdog Ofcom cleared Clarkson, ruling that the comments were justified by the context in which they were made.

In the UK there were two very high profile serial murderers. The Yorkshire Ripper and the Suffolk Strangler. Both were lorry drivers convicted of murdering prostitutes. Therefore saying that murdering prostitutes is import to lorry drivers is a funny joke.

Calls Gordon Brown “a one-eyed idiot’ (February 2009)

Comparing Gordon Brown to Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd: “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a world leader [Rudd] admit we really are in deep shit. He genuinely looked terrified. Poor man, he’s actually seen the books. We have this one-eyed Scottish idiot who keeps telling us everything’s fine and he’s saved the world and we know he’s lying, but he’s smooth at telling us.” Clarkson personally apologised to the then prime minister.

Gordon Brown was a fucking useless Prime Minister that fucked the country's economy up and had no charisma. It is not unreasonable to cast him as an idiot. He also is blind in one eye. Therefore calling Gordon Brown a one-eyed idiot is actually truthful, as well as being a funny joke.

‘TV obsessed with hiring black Muslim lesbians’ (October 2009)

Clarkson told Top Gear magazine: “The problem is that television executives have got it into their heads that if one presenter on a show is a blond-haired, blue-eyed heterosexual boy, the other must be a black Muslim lesbian. Chalk and cheese, they reckon, works. But here we have Top Gear setting new records after six years using cheese and cheese. It confuses them.”

With a huge shift towards political correctness, blacks, muslims and lesbians have a disproportionate representation in the media. Therefore to say TV is obsessed with hiring black Muslim lesbians is actually truthful,as well as being a funny joke, especially in a magazine headed by three white middle-aged middle-class blokes who appeal to, amongst others, white middle-aged middle-class blokes.

Burka comments (July 2010)

On distractions when driving: “Honestly, the burka doesn’t work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up it came, red G-string and stockings.”

While this is patently untrue, it is a funny joke.

‘Special needs’ jibe (October 2010)

On the Ferrari F430 Speciale: “it was a bit wrong ... that smiling front end ... it looked like a simpleton ... [it] should have been called the 430 Speciale Needs”.

A clever joke.

Mexico insults (February 2011)

Richard Hammond joked that Mexican cars reflected national characteristics, saying they were “just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat”. May described Mexican food as “like sick with cheese on it”. Clarkson predicted they would not get any complaints because “at the Mexican embassy, the ambassador is going to be sitting there with a remote control like this [snores]. They won’t complain, it’s fine.” The BBC was forced to apologise to the Mexican ambassador but also defended the show’s presenters, saying national stereotyping was part of British humour.

National stereotyping, let's face it, is funny, and to be fair they're not a million miles from the truth there.

George Michael jibe (July 2011)

In a review of a Jaguar XKR-S: “It’s very fast and very, very loud. And then in the corners it will get its tail out more readily than George Michael.” In response, the singer branded Clarkson “homophobic” and “pig ugly”.

Having been convicted for a lewd act, the specific act was never really made public at the time, but everyone (probably rightly) assumed he was jerking off in a public toilet. Therefore to say it will get its tail out more readily than George Michael is a funny joke.

The One Show rant (November 2011)

On public sector workers taking part in a 24-hour strike: “I’d have them all shot. I would have them taken outside and executed them in front of their families.” Some 31,000 people complained and the BBC was later forced to apologise.

Public sector workers sort of get a shit deal in that the get paid fuck all - but then again they jobs tend to be pretty easy and stress-free. So don't fuck everyone else's life up by going on strike. If you don't like the pay, get a different fucking job. I'd have them all shot for going on strike as well.

Indian incident (January 2012)

While driving a Jaguar around an Indian slum with a toilet fitted in the boot: “This is perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the trots.” He also made jokes about Indian clothes, trains and even the country’s history.

Making fun of smelly Indians is funny. And if you go there you do get the trots, so it's also true.

Thai ‘slope’ controversy (March 2014)

As a man walked towards himself and Richard Hammond on a Thai bridge, Clarkson said “That is a proud moment - but there’s a slope on it.” Hammond replied: “You’re right, it’s definitely higher on that side.” Media watchdog Ofcom found that Clarkson had deliberately used an “offensive racial term” that caused offence and breached broadcasting rules.

A fucking genius joke, made all the more funny by the fact the 99% of Brits didn't even realise that slope was an offensive term for a slope. Until some stupid bitch complained about it, now everyone knows.

The ‘N-word’ row (May 2014)

In a Top Gear outtake, Clarkson recited the beginning of the children’s nursery rhyme “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” before apparently mumbling: “Catch a n-word by his toe.” He later wrote in the Sun: “I’ve been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked.”

Political correctness killed off that little rhyme. Best thing is, he never actually said n-word. But still got shit for it.

Liverpool comments (February 2015)

In a Sunday Times column about the city: “People up there earn less, die more quickly, have fewer jobs and live in houses that are worth the square root of sod all.”

Lord of the Fraud, is this true?

[Lord of the Fraud]

Better people than that tory cunt have slated this city in the past.


Nobody here actually gave a fuck what he said .. was mostly just media trying to drum up a bit of hate..

[RichardBrodiesCombover.]

Well, guess I'm done with that show.

[Krypt]

I knew that fat head cunt was a wanker when I found out he supported CHELSEA

[4Dragons]

[Belly Buster]

Former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have signed up to present a new show on Amazon's streaming video service.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33715671

The trio will front three series of a new motoring programme for Amazon Prime, with the first season to be made available worldwide in 2016.

The move follows their departure from the hit BBC Two show earlier this year.

Clarkson's contract was not renewed following an "unprovoked physical attack" on a Top Gear producer.

His co-hosts then followed him in leaving the show.

They will now make the unnamed new programme with former Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, who also quit the BBC following the "fracas".

In a statement from Amazon, Clarkson said: "I feel like I've climbed out of a biplane and into a spaceship."

Hammond said: "Amazon? Oh yes. I have already been there. I got bitten by a bullet ant." And May added: "We have become part of the new age of smart TV. Ironic, isn't it?"

Wilman told the Radio Times the team would begin working on the new series as soon as they return from their summer holidays.

He said they agreed a deal with Amazon because "they'll give us the freedom to make the programme we want...there's a budget to produce programmes of the quality we want and this is the future".

Wilman added the format of the new show would contain "themes people will be familiar with".

"I can't tell you how good it feels to get the chance to produce something from scratch," he said. "We're all really excited. No one telling us what we can and can't do, just us hopefully producing great programmes. It feels really liberating."

[Belly Buster]

Sounds like the BBC have shot themselves in both feet with losing Clarkson and co, and are fucking up Top Gear.

Panic at the BBC as revamped Top Gear descends into crisis

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment...bc0bc1ff03f5f0

THE new version of Top Gear is reportedly in crisis, with a catalogue of recent setbacks leaving BBC executives panicked at the prospect of the world’s biggest motoring show becoming car crash television.

New host Chris Evans, an experienced broadcaster and car enthusiast, was hailed as a hero for “rescuing” Top Gear after Jeremy Clarkson was sacked for punching a producer, leading co-stars Richard Hammond and James May to leave as well.

But six months on, things aren’t looking quite so rosy.

“When Chris was hired it was like the problem of what to do with Top Gear after Clarkson left had been solved. But the problems keep on coming,” said one insider.
The new Top Gear host, radio DJ Chris Evans

There was trouble from the very beginning.

“The first time Chris went around the Top Gear track he crashed the car,” an insider recalled. “Unfortunately for him, it was a brand new Jag that had been lent to the show.”

Just five months in, Top Gear’s well-respected executive producer Lisa Clark left, and she was followed out the door by script editor Tom Ford. The shock departures came amid claims BBC bosses were piling the pressure on Evans — who had insisted on taking an executive producer role — to deliver, while “meddling” in editorial decisions.

BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw has reportedly become the “nightmare” chief meddler. She was put in the role last year by former director of television Danny Cohen, who had fallen out with Clarkson, and made revamping Top Gear her top priority.
Kim Shillinglaw.

BBC executives have pointed to the damage done to the show after Clarkson was sacked in March and want the focus to again be on its content.

“Kim has been central to everything that is happening. Generally, she has a reputation as a meddler,” a source said.

“The show has had to become a lot more PC following the Clarkson row. There is less leeway to do out-there stuff and Kim has become a bit of a nightmare.”

Her relationship with Evans, who is known for being a control freak, has also come under the spotlight. Shillinglaw once admitted the “unpredictable” star taking over has host left her “terrified”. To some, it has become a battle of egos.

“In the old days Clarkson and (executive producer) Andy Wilman were left to get on with the show and that’s what Chris wants too,” one source said.

“Everything he’s done before has essentially been about him and everyone else has had to fall in line. But the BBC had their fingers burned that way and want a bigger say. They have too much at stake.

“Shows like TFI Friday (Evans’ TV talk show) were created by Chris, but Top Gear is an established brand. It should be bigger than any of its presenters.”
These two probably aren’t too concerned about the chaos.

Speaking of Evans’ other show, TFI Friday also been a sticking point. BBC executives were reportedly exasperated that he agreed to front the ten-part series alongside Top Gear and his daily breakfast radio show, and forced him to walk away from it. When Evans indicated he wanted to do another series of TFI, the BBC said he couldn’t.

“When he was also working on TFI, Chris struggled to get to every Top Gear production meeting but still wanted to be fully across how the format was developing,” one source said. “Whatever was said about the old Top Gear, it ran like a well-oiled machine.”

Evans told how full-on his schedule had become in a magazine column last month. In it he described the “craziest day” of his life, when he worked for 26 hours non-stop.

BBC insiders say with TFI out of the picture Evans, who they feared was spreading himself too thin, will have more time to focus on Top Gear.

Professional German driver Sabine Schmitz will co-host with Evans.

BBC bosses are said to be “highly unhappy” with what they have seen from early production of Top Gear’s initial run of eight episodes, although they’ve publicly denied it.

One source close to the show reportedly suggested pre-production had been “more Tiswas than Top Gear”, referring to the Saturday morning British children’s TV series.

“They’ve brought in a production team that doesn’t know anything about cars. Writers from Top Gear magazine have had to be called over to suggest ideas.”

“Chris has struggled to get his head around prerecorded videos, which is mostly what Top Gear is,” another source said. “Unfortunately, when you come to plan all this stuff, it can’t be done on the fly.”

There are also claims production has slipped behind schedule, with only a couple of sequences shot at Top Gear’s home at Dunsfold aerodrome, Surrey.

One toe-curling incident recounted by insiders concerned Evans recording a 12-page monologue for the cameras, before BBC bosses decided it was “totally unusable”.

Evans has even taken to making announcements about the show before telling his paymasters — another sore point.

They were angered last month when he revealed Top Gear would return on May 8, giving rivals a crucial five-month heads-up.

And he announced on Radio 2 that viewers would be able to audition to be presenters, which also took executives by surprise.

A BBC insider said: “Bosses have been left open-mouthed by some of the announcements Chris has been making. Giving away the exact start date months before is a complete no-no, as it gives rivals the chance to try to damage the show.

“People at the BBC who should be in the loop have been finding stuff out from Chris on the radio, on Twitter, or when he is a guest on other shows.”

The presenting line-up is also fairly underwhelming. News that former Formula One star David Coulthard, German motor racing driver Sabine Schmitz and journalist Chris Harris would be joining did not excite fans.

The appointments came after bigger names, including Zoe Ball, Jodie Kidd and Suzi Perry, were linked to the show before ruling themselves out. But for those who know Evans, the low-profile line-up was no surprise.

“Chris is always the boss of the show. He doesn’t want anyone to be bigger than him,” one said.

During a trip to southern France in October, Evans told how he had been considering whether or not to have co-stars.

“I’m on my own, so do I form a band or not?” he said.

He was taken to France by the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, to meet global broadcasters. Maintaining an international foothold is vital for Top Gear, which is the BBC’s biggest global brand with sales of the TV show, DVDs, books, live shows and other merchandise worth more than £50 million ($101 million) a year. BBC sources fear Evans is a complete unknown outside the UK.

Top Gear’s former three stooges are settling in well at Amazon.

Clarkson, Hammond and May may no longer be on Top Gear, but they are still vying for the same viewers. While Top Gear’s schemes play out in public, they are busy preparing their new rival big-budget show for Amazon — and crowing about how little interference they get from their latest masters.

Along with the lack of outside pressure, the team also has cash, and lots of it, with a budget reported to be at £4 million ($8.1 million) an episode — ten times that of Top Gear’s.

Altogether they have been handed £160 million ($323 million) to create three series of 12 episodes, more than double the amount Netflix paid for two seasons of hit US political drama House of Cards. They have started filming, recording a scene in central London in Reliant Robins and visiting Portugal in October to race three of the world’s most expensive supercars.

They also have more time on their hands, with their show expected to launch around September. However, knowing the proposed transmission date for Top Gear has given them another advantage, and they are primed to unveil a “taster” version of their lavishly funded show to run in the days leading up to Top Gear’s debut.

One Amazon executive said: “We’re not in the business of sabotage but why should we give them a free run?”

Evans does have the support of a former Stig, at least. Ben Collins, who was the mysterious man behind the helmet from 2003-11, says Top Gear was already running out of steam before Jeremy Clarkson was sacked.

“I think there are very few formats that survive. It’s usually three or four years max. Top Gear had that format for about 12 or 13 years so it was a very long time and I think that definitely everyone gets to come back with something different,” Collins told BANG Showbiz.

“It was an absolute riot coming up with this off wall stuff but it’s very hard to be new and innovating when you’re producing that many shows every year and the audience becomes wise to your tricks and they expect more with bigger and better all the time and it does become very hard.”

Viewers will get to make their own mind up when the new series airs.

[Belly Buster]

The latest series of Top Gear was a fail. For the first time in 10 years I recorded the shows but didn't even watch half of them.

The Grand Tour launched yesterday on Amazon Prime and it was epic. If this is the benchmark for the series then Amazon are onto a winner. Fair play for them for taking a big gamble on this - £160m for 36 episodes - but the production quality shone through and really was spectacular to watch.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand...her-five-talk/

[Belly Buster]

The new episode of the Grand Tour is all over youtube.

Can't believe Amazon haven't taken action. Maybe they're happy to get people watching the first episode or two before dropping the hammer.

[DirtyB]

The new episode of the Grand Tour is all over youtube.

Can't believe Amazon haven't taken action. Maybe they're happy to get people watching the first episode or two before dropping the hammer.

It was good but not great. It's sort of easy to make a good car show when you're showing off the 3 best cars on Earth.

It was lame when the title of the episode is "The Holy Trinity" and then James May makes his "surprise" appearance with a LaFerrari.

Getting a 59 year old former NASCAR driver as their new Stig was an odd choice. They want him to be a character, but they gave him like 30 seconds of camera time.

I'll give it a few more episodes before I decide on it.

The next season on Top Gear could actually be good if they just have Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris. Chris Harris On Car is a phenomenally good car show.

[lol wow]

Great story nerd