Clarkson kerfuffle shifts into Top Gear

20 Mar 2015

Jeremy Clarkson's no stranger to controversy, and he's been in the headlines again this past week. So much so that the Twitter bird's aflurry with the #JeremyClarkson hashtag and you can't turn to an entertainment site without seeing mention of the opinionated Brit...

It's usually Clarkson's big mouth that earns him press coverage, with his often offensive word choice. Now Clarkson's been suspended by the BBC after an alleged fracas with one of the show's producers, Oisin Tymon, taking things beyond just the verbal in a dispute over food - see, his 'hungry' mouth was involved again, in a way - by punching Tymon.

While it's not Clarkson's first public punch, the incident's been dubbed a disaster, with The Telegraph stating that the repeat of a Red Arrows documentary, aired in last week's Top Gear slot, drew 4million fewer viewers than the petrolhead's team usually achieves.

Little wonder, with much of the viewer sentiment as follows:

Top Gear without @JeremyClarkson would be like @TheEllenShow without Ellen Degeneres
- Gunnar Oden (@GunnarOden) March 19, 2015

And fast-thinking brands getting on top of the situation, like this:

Of course there is a version of Hungry Hungry Hippos featuring Jeremy Clarkson http://t.co/6yEUDYdOEA pic.twitter.com/PSU5CYb8hs
- i100 (@thei100) March 19, 2015

Now the Top Gear TV Transmission blog has published an official statement from the Beeb, stating that the episode scheduled for broadcast this coming Sunday, 22 March will not be aired, no official statement has been made regarding any future episodes, and that it will not issue further commentary until the findings of a report are given to the Director-General next week.

But it's more than just Clarkson you stand to miss, as Clarkson's co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May are standing strong in support of him, saying they won't film the show without him. So says Stuff. This might not be the end of it though, as TheSuperCarKids report that the BBC may bring back Clarkson on condition of having him monitored by an executive to prevent further controversies.

But it's the controversies that pull in the viewers. Will this be enough for the British broadcaster to rethink its decision? Will Clarkson make his return elsewhere? Only time will tell.

Read more:

AutoEvolution: Jeremy Clarkson Quits Top Gear, Show Cancelled for Good
The Telegraph: Jeremy Clarkson 'tried to apologise' to Oisin Tymon
The Guardian: Jeremy Clarkson: report on Top Gear 'fracas' due next week
The SuperCarKids: Jeremy Clarkson offered chance to return to Top Gear

Leigh Andrews

About Leigh Andrews

Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews.