Jeremy Clarkson won't have Top Gear contract renewed

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

"With a mere ninety break-horse-power available, progress is too leisurely to be called fast, but on the motorway in fifth gear the Megane’s slow pace really becomes a pain. Uphill runs become power-sappingly mundane, while overtaking National Express coaches can become a long, drawn-out affair."

Not my words, Carol, the words of Top Gear magazine!

HUGE fan of Clarkson in his TV character role (people forget, the three presenters have been scripted and playing hyped up versions of themselves for a long time.

Not a huge fan of folks who spit the dummy and punch people, so the "non renewal of contract" (not sacking BTW, his contract was up this month) is justified.

The BBC has an issue here. While Clarkson only really did TG on the Beeb, May and Hammond have been their go-to people for lots of other things, and losing all three of them leaves a hole. I can see Sky taking them all on and running its own motoring show in a similar vein, with a better budget (but carefully avoiding lawsuits).

Oddly, thats what happened with the first revamp, when the initial presents went over to CH.5 and made 5th Gear.

TG will be rebranded, possibly with Chris Evans as host (which would be a good start, but potentially risky as anyone who might remember TFI Friday will know!) and if they do throw a woman in there I'd love to see Sabine Schmitt (the german woman who has been on the show many times from the Nurburgring) get a go, or maybe Suzie Wolff from the Williams F1 Team?

Having said all that, Sundays aren't really ever going to be the same again.

What worries me most though is there is currently a Stig on the loose.....

a reply to: paraphi

If there's a woman in top gear I sure wont be watching the show any longer.

originally posted by: neformore
HUGE fan of Clarkson in his TV character role (people forget, the three presenters have been scripted and playing hyped up versions of themselves for a long time.

Not a huge fan of folks who spit the dummy and punch people, so the "non renewal of contract" (not sacking BTW, his contract was up this month) is justified.

The BBC has an issue here. While Clarkson only really did TG on the Beeb, May and Hammond have been their go-to people for lots of other things, and losing all three of them leaves a hole. I can see Sky taking them all on and running its own motoring show in a similar vein, with a better budget (but carefully avoiding lawsuits).

Oddly, thats what happened with the first revamp, when the initial presents went over to CH.5 and made 5th Gear.

TG will be rebranded, possibly with Chris Evans as host (which would be a good start, but potentially risky as anyone who might remember TFI Friday will know!) and if they do throw a woman in there I'd love to see Sabine Schmitt (the german woman who has been on the show many times from the Nurburgring) get a go, or maybe Suzie Wolff from the Williams F1 Team?

Having said all that, Sundays aren't really ever going to be the same again.

What worries me most though is there is currently a Stig on the loose.....

No worries, I am the Stig

Guys Suzi Perry would be my choice for new TG.
Not chris evans
Not alan partridge
But Suzi Perry

originally posted by: Djarums
I have never seen this show so I come in as a completely neutral outside observer, but what doesn't make any sense to me is this: A million people signed a petition for a company to reinstate a seemingly foul tempered spoiled brat to his comfy well paid (and fun) job even though he was removed for actually punching someone in the face because the hotel they were at had no hot food?

A million people have no problem with that sort of behavior? Hey, there's no hot food, sucker punch the closest guy to you and people will cheer!

I'm sure he's very entertaining based on what I've read here and elsewhere. That's nice. Just rather disappointing to see people's reactions. And then they whine about the Kardashians and other wastes of airspace. Sorry, but you million (and similar ones in the US) created these self entitled idiots.

The thing is, people like him because he's outspoken but often right. He's not afraid to be critical of expensive cars that the manufacturer provided for review; he's loud, un-PC, overweight, opinionated, smokes, eats red meat etc.

Not your average sh!t-for-brains-with-a-pretty-face TV presenter.

And who knows, maybe there were some heated words exchanged before it became physical.. maybe the guy nearly deserved it? I've read from other sources that Clarkson took a swing, but didn't actually hit him.

Being Scottish I have an inbuilt hatred of anything the BBC does. Unless you live here you wont know about the utter contempt they have of Scotland despite us paying far more to them than they give back.

So basically yes it's great to see the establishment tear themselves up again, so soon after the Saville coverup.

BBC Scotland should be run from Edinburgh and all the money raised in Scotland used to produce programmes in Scotland for Scotland. We can make our own motoring show without the Pythonesque characters of Clarkson, May and the horrendous Hammond.

originally posted by: bigyin
Being Scottish I have an inbuilt hatred of anything the BBC does. Unless you live here you wont know about the utter contempt they have of Scotland despite us paying far more to them than they give back.

So basically yes it's great to see the establishment tear themselves up again, so soon after the Saville coverup.

BBC Scotland should be run from Edinburgh and all the money raised in Scotland used to produce programmes in Scotland for Scotland. We can make our own motoring show without the Pythonesque characters of Clarkson, May and the horrendous Hammond.

The BBC slant on the referendum really changed my view of them. Ironic too that the BBC was created by a Scotsman!

I love Top Gear and Clarkson to boot, he just entertained me. Quite simple, nothing else to it. However, i do have sympathy for the BBC in that you can't go around smacking colleagues, however much you would like to. If it were allowed, i wouldn't be able to get any work done some days.......

I also had sympathy throughout for Oisin Tymon as he was the victim in this. I don't get why some idiots sent him threats.....for getting punched. However, i have to say i feel a little let down by him as the full story has emerged. Why? I feel he has let down man kind. We all know tv types are your limp wristed, effeminate sorts but he gets punched in the face and......takes himself to hospital to get checked over? What has happened to men? Have we suddenly got that wet and pathetic? I hate to say it but i would be embarrassed as anything if i got punched and it emerged i had visited hospital afterwards.

The other thing that slightly changed my perception of him was in not answering his door to Clarkson when he went round to apologise in person. To me, it is a demonstartion of much that is wrong with the modern world - this "leave it to the lawyers" attitude. He came round to apologise - man up and open the bloody door!

Like i said though, i don't blame him for any of this but i certainly don't think his actions have painted him in a good light either.

As to replacements, makes no odds to me. No Jeremy (and probably no Hamster or May either) means i won't be watching, regardless of who they get in.

a reply to: iFloButta

Why not?

Why wouldn't you watch a car show when it isn't presented by a man? Come on man, get real! A woman could do just as good of a job as a man, especially if they pick well and choose someone who, like the previous presenters, were genuinely interested it cars. neformore already pointed two out. Why the blatant sexism?

Absolutely the right decision and there ought to be some legislation preventing the other two from teaming up with him on his next project.

Clarkson was not very popular with the PC crowd, so no doubt they are probably glad to see him go.

Was the decision not to renew his contract in the best interests of the BBC? Only time will tell...

top gear sucks who cares

a reply to: AthlonSavage

Good thing you popped in to a thread about Top Gear and the presenters then, yea?

originally posted by: CJCrawley
Absolutely the right decision and there ought to be some legislation preventing the other two from teaming up with him on his next project.

Seriously? You want to pass a law so three guys can't be on TV together?

That's absolutely mind boggling.

a reply to: Shamrock6

well I can understand his anger no food provided at end of the long day, that is bad producer.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

Clarkson was not very popular with the PC crowd

If by "the PC crowd" you mean those of us who don't like the fact that innocent people can get clobbered by rich, spoilt, drunken oafs...then count me in.

a reply to: CJCrawley

Hilarious isn't it? Clarkson's manufactured and scripted presence on Top Gear is designed to appeal very specifically to it's demographic and be politically correct to them.

I also love the special snowflake treatment that some million or so petition signatories wish him to be subject too.

originally posted by: CJCrawley
If by "the PC crowd" you mean those of us who don't like the fact that innocent people can get clobbered by rich, spoilt, drunken oafs...then count me in.

No, that's not whom I meant.

But continue to assume away if it helps you sleep better at night...

* * * * * *

originally posted by: skalla
Hilarious isn't it? Clarkson's manufactured and scripted presence on Top Gear is designed to appeal very specifically to it's demographic and be politically correct to them.

I also love the special snowflake treatment that some million or so petition signatories wish him to be subject too.

Your ignorance - it burns...

originally posted by: skalla
a reply to: CJCrawley

Hilarious isn't it? Clarkson's manufactured and scripted presence on Top Gear is designed to appeal very specifically to it's demographic and be politically correct to them.

I also love the special snowflake treatment that some million or so petition signatories wish him to be subject too.

Amazing how you can completely and utterly distort the very definition of a term, and feel justified in doing so.