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In hindsight could this have been avoided with on site catering / better contingency planning? perhaps. We may never know.

 

It is said that the reason Jeremy couldn't have his steak was that he'd been sat in a pub drinking for two hours before coming back to the hotel, during which time the chef had quite reasonably gone home. This would make him an even bigger arsehole for blaming it on the producer. I'm sure the full salacious details (plus, hopefully, a rough transcript of the 20-minute tirade) will be surreptitiously placed in the public domain by anonymous BBC sources.

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Now that we kinda know everything...

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, Jeremy's actions are inexcusable, and in a normal work environment, anybody that did that should get the sack immediately. On the other hand, it's not a normal work environment, and he's Jeremy. I'm not sure the same standards apply to him that apply to everybody else. Yes, I know I'm on rickety ice here, but I think the quality of the product they made gives everybody a big incentive to turn a blind eye to this kind of thing.

 

I know Jeremy is obsessed with 70s rock stars, and I think he kinda sees himself as one. If Keith Moon could get away with these kinds of antics, why can't he? Unfortunately for him, this isn't the 70s, this is the UK in 2015 in the age of politically correct, overly sensitive hypocrisy and no one will let this sort of thing slide anymore. In this case, they may even be right, too.

 

In the end, everybody loses, at least for a while, but most of all, the BBC. I'm sure the lads will do what Fifth Gear did and move onto another network and redo the show, while the BBC just lost its biggest claim to relevance.

Edited by catscratch
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Oh cock. A TV Concorde is no more.

 

I disagree.  As James correctly pointed out Top Gear existed before this cast and I strongly suspect that something, while obviously not being called Top Gear, is likely to exist with the 3 current hosts somewhere else.  I imagine Mr. Clarkson's agent's phone is ringing off the hook.  I also laugh at the statements that are being made that Top Gear will continue on without Clarkson.  I can't imagine a scenario in which that is going to happen given that the remaining two presenters will no longer be under contract in the very near future (according to other reports).

 

That said, he's a cock what transpired and I don't really question the consequences, regrettable as they are for my television watching enjoyment. 

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It is said that the reason Jeremy couldn't have his steak was that he'd been sat in a pub drinking for two hours before coming back to the hotel, during which time the chef had quite reasonably gone home. This would make him an even bigger arsehole for blaming it on the producer. I'm sure the full salacious details (plus, hopefully, a rough transcript of the 20-minute tirade) will be surreptitiously placed in the public domain by anonymous BBC sources.

I'm not sure the facts are out here.  I've heard that the copter landed at the hotel; May had drunk a bottle of wine on the flight, but Hammond and Clarkson drank water only.  They supposedly landed at 9:30pm, and checking the menus on the hotel website it looks like the restaurants close at 9:45.

 

So it could well be that he was stone cold sober, and thew his toys out the pram.

 

Mind you if I had been Oisin, had been verbally abused and then thumped, and told I was fired - I'd have grabbed a hold of Clarkson and laid into him.  Actually if that had happened, Clarkson would probably have respected it and both of them would have ended up in the bar.

 

But speculation is futile - he's gone.

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I can't help but think that Clarkson may have engineered this.  Clarkson reported the incident to BBC management, not the producer he assaulted.

 

The million signatures on the petition in his support and all the publicity over this incident can only increase his commercial value to rival broadcasters.  His contract was running out.  

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With the fate of the final un-screened still somewhat unknown, those of you wanting a JC fix, will be pleased to know he'll be a guest host on HIGNFY on April 24th - He's done this before, see the clip in the jalopnik link. The extended cut/version (Have I got a bit more news for you) should be even more fun. I expect sly references to recent events

 

Jeremy Clarkson to host Have I Got News For You - BBC News

 

Jeremy Clarkson Will Be Back On The BBC, But Not For Top Gear

Edited by Grahame
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This is all being really well stage managed.  They meet at Clarkson's for a couple of hours and pow! a posse of the media magically arrive and follow them to the pub.  Really?  Who tipped them off - Clarkson or his school buddy Wilman?

 

Even May and Hammond's Twitter feeds are very, very carefully pitched,  May with his cookery lessons on YouTube and hang-dog wine swilling demeanour, Hammond on a road trip to pick up some sheep (Herdwick - I come from that end of the country) in the Lake district, very carefully and professionally edited.  And Clarkson saying - well nothing at all, other than a single tweet to advertise his article in the Sunday Times.

 

So yes - very very carefully managed.

 

But since they are clearly off to do something somewhere else, I think that any attempt by the BBC to reinvent Top Gear as-was with an entirely new trio is a dead duck.

 

I read today that all the banter and personas is scripted; it looks spontaneous (Clarksonian pause) but it isn't: the old Top Gear was basically a sitcom about three middle aged blokes with an interest in cars.

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It was absolutely clear that all the filmed stuff - like the road trips - was staged and scripted when you can do lots of takes and then edit.  But the studio sections with the audience (for which there was an 8 year waiting list) were too - and since none of them are actors it remains exceptionally clever.  The appearance of spontaneity in front of cameras and an audience to a basic script with non-actors is very difficult to get right, and not seem like the worst sort of ham acting. May has a music degree and is a performance grade pianist. Hammond and Clarkson are journalists and writers.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

I think the best person for the job would be... Rowan Atkinson. Not that the BBC can actually afford to hire Rowan Atkinson or that he'd agree to the job, but he's probably the most qualified I can think of, both in terms of being entertaining, understanding cars, and being able to direct the show creatively. Chris Evans I'm not sure about. Steve Coogan might fit the bill too, but not as well. Either way, it'll be kinda sad and grim watching what's left, but I hope to be pleasantly surprised. Also, where's Clarkson? I expected an announcement about the new non-Top Gear Top Gear already.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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