Top Gear is over, insists Clarkson

Post by **campbell** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:52 pm

[Metro, C Scotland, Monday 12 March]

Top Gear host jeremy Clarkson yesterday set off a flurry of speculation about the future of the BBC show.

He claimed the series - watched by more than 7m viewers - would not return for a new series. But the BBC insisted the popular motoring show would be back.

At the end of the latest seiries last week, the BBC2 announcer assured viewers Top Gear would be back in the summer.

But in his tabloid press column, Clarkson, 47, said: "Can I just say, here and now, it won't be". The BBC said the confusion may have arisen because the announcer said the series would return in the summer rather than the autumn.

A spokesman for Mr Clarkson was unavailable for comment. The father of three joined the show as a presenter in 1989. He left after ten years before rejoining when the programme was relaunched in 2002.

The show made a comeback in January, four months after co-host Richard Hammond had a crash in a jet-powered dragster while filming.

Mr Clarkson's forthright views have been a major part of Top Gear's success but they have also got him into trouble.

The BBC was forced to apologise to brain injury sufferers after Mr Clarkson asked Hammond on the programme: "Are you mental?".

[ENDS]

You gotta love 'im!!

Post by ed » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:55 pm

I think it will be back, it better be!

Post by **simon** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:57 pm

BBC says it will be back, it was on BBC News on sunday: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6439449.stm

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:59 pm

I cant see it not coming back, there may be issues such as contract negotiations behind his statement who knows.
After Hamsters crash Clarkson wrote that he would fight to keep TG on the air when the mentalists were calling for it to be axed.

I cant see him walking away.

Post by **campbell** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:05 pm

simon wrote:BBC says it will be back, it was on BBC News on sunday: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6439449.stm

Yeah it says that in the article so clearly a spat underway.

My view was, they had a shorter season due to Hamster's crash. But I guess you can't rule out Jezza's cantankerous nature, and he surely does well out of all his other spin-off interests.

Hamster will be OK too, he presented LogicaCMG's internal project awards a couple of years back so he is really at the pinnacle of his game too, then

James May might need to join the presenters of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to stay on telly though.

All IMHO you understand, and not necessarily the views of anyone else in the world at all.

Campbell

woody · Post by **woody** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:49 pm

Apparently Hamster and clarkson are paid £1 million/series

May 10% of that. There's also been talk of may presentng an enginerering greats type programme.

I think it could be that the BBC want to lentilise the show to pacify enviro-lefty types, and thats what could be causing more friction.

lotustype116 · Post by **lotustype116** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:02 pm

Clarkson has been in the cream puff ever since he was refused planning permission to construct a new Track and Studio near his country pile.
I fear this may be the underlying reason. I always got the impression that JC thought he was Top Gear and that the show could not exist without him!

I for one will be quite sad if this is the end, it really is the only motoring program on television worth watching, and the combination of Clarkson, Hammond and May and their unique styles are the main reason why.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:12 pm

I am told Clarkson and producer Andy Wilman actually own the rights to the current format, so in a sense it is now Clarksons programme.
If it were to finish almost certainly there would be a replacement with the current line up invovled. Clarkson is smart enough to know that with 8 million viewers it aint broke so dont fix it.

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:38 pm

woody wrote:lentilise

Quality... JC would approve!

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:59 pm

Marketing BS!

Hmm TG with JJ, Tiff, Suzy P, Current director, JJ Vs Tiff vs Stigg weeklies ....

woody · Post by **woody** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:12 pm

JJ's doin Top gear?

How did he make the leap from colin and justin to hamster and clarkson.

(with apologies JJ)

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:57 pm

woody wrote:JJ's doin Top gear?

How did he make the leap from colin and justin to hamster and clarkson.

(with apologies JJ)

cnbp173 · Post by **cnbp173** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:40 pm

I vote we nominate Tut as the new Stig!

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:39 pm

cnbp173 wrote:I vote we nominate Tut as the new Stig!

I think having the Stig turn up without shoes and probably wearing shorts might give the game away to the enlightened few

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:13 pm

He would also insist on ripping out the streo of anything he had to drive...