Jeremy Clarkson officially fired from Top Gear

[kc78]

I don't know if anyone here cares, but he was one of my favorite tv presenters and that show only works with all three of them. Its never as good if either are missing, but especially Jeremy. Rumors are they'll leave and head to Netflix to do a new show there.

Sacked for Fracas

 

[TexaNole]

Yeah, short-sighted decision on BBC's part. The Netflix idea would be fantastic. I'm worried he'll wind up with ITV and it'll be tough to get the content to the States.

 

[kc78]

I don't really know what choice they had left. His antics had really started to escalate. I have a friend who works as a cameraman for BBC and while he hasn't stated it directly as I think he was afraid to lose his job, but he's hinted very loudly that Clarkson is an absolute terror to work with and almost everyone despises the man who's had to work with him. But that said, he is a hell of a good host.

 

[TexaNole]

Originally posted by kc78:
I don't really know what choice they had left. His antics had really started to escalate. I have a friend who works as a cameraman for BBC and while he hasn't stated it directly as I think he was afraid to lose his job, but he's hinted very loudly that Clarkson is an absolute terror to work with and almost everyone despises the man who's had to work with him. But that said, he is a hell of a good host.

All of that is also true of Chris Berman.

I agree Clarkson was entirely in the wrong, but so does he. There were resolutions short of terminating the relationship.

Side note, this is from the press release: The BBC is a broad church. I really hope the choice of phrase there had nothing to do with promoting another BBC series, one that will need to pick up some of the ratings slack.

 

[kc78]

Its true of many celebrities. This interview with James May makes it seem like the three of them intend to stay together.

May speaks

 

[NDallasRuss]

Originally posted by TexaNole:
Yeah, short-sighted decision on BBC's part. The Netflix idea would be fantastic. I'm worried he'll wind up with ITV and it'll be tough to get the content to the States.

It sucks - my daughter's going to be crushed - but what other choices did they have? He assaulted another employee - a physical assault that lasted 30 seconds and ended with the victim going to the emergency room. And it wasn't some intern, it was a producer that had been working on the show for a decade. Over not getting a steak dinner after they were done filming?

I don't think he left them with any room to make a different decision. Some of the other stuff he's done you can look past in the name of ratings/popularity/money, but not workplace violence like that. If you or I did the same thing at our jobs, there's no way we're getting away with a 2-week suspension, or counseling, etc. We're getting arrested, and then we're getting fired - at least that's what happens at any place I've ever worked.

 

[BelemNole]

He was pretty much daring them to fire him at this point. After the whole N-word thing last year, now punching a producer. Guy sounds like a real ass.

 

[Nolebra Kai]

I understand why they did it but it stinks as a fan of the show. It's one of my favorite and it only works with him as the host and James and Richard feeding him.

Hopefully the show can live on on another Network or the three of them can move together to another show.

 

[DDennis73]

To me you can tell that it is the three of them that make the show work because I dont care at all for the US version of the show. I wish whatever network here has the American version would hire the three of them. Unfortunately, I imagine the BBC has the other two locked in via contract.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Originally posted by DDennis73:
To me you can tell that it is the three of them that make the show work because I dont care at all for the US version of the show. I wish whatever network here has the American version would hire the three of them. Unfortunately, I imagine the BBC has the other two locked in via contract.

I think that all of their contracts were up for renewal at the end of this season.

The chemistry between the three of them is definitely the key to their success. I don't think that a) the other two will go on without him, adding a 3rd, and b) the show would be nearly as successful no matter who they added.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Terrible news, but I've read same stuff about clarksons ego. I think Richard is easily replaceable but not clarksons or james May. But the chemistry was great especially on long road trips.

Can't stand the American or australian versions
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[F4Gary]

Agree, big mistake. Top Gear was a huge revenue and viewer-ship generator the the BBC. The guy he had the altercation with even said don't fire him. A lot of the other stuff he supposedly did was blown out of proportion. He is not the only "difficult" celebrity.

They'll turn up on another network or Netflicks.

 

[seminole97]

 

[mnole03]

I think Clarkson's a jerk and I don't really care for him, but this is about money. The show in its current format doesn't work without Clarkson. Everyone knows that. Their contracts were up and Clarkson gifted the BBC a way to get rid of them. All three would have demanded huge money and a larger budget. I'm not sure how profitable the show would be in the short-term, and there's some risk in offering them long-term deals.

I used to love Top Gear, but I've kind of moved on. I really like what Drive is doing. Chris Harris is compelling and it's nice to get opinions from a talented driver. Modern super cars and even high-end sports cars offer capability beyond the limits of most drivers. Mike Spinelli does a good job with the auto-buying talk. He's been ahead of a bunch of trends. I wish Drive would add Jay Leno. His car shows are excellent, and he provides a perspective that doesn't exist anywhere else. He actually owns the cars. He has great insights and relationships with automakers and auction houses.

 

[BelemNole]

Originally posted by F4Gary:
Agree, big mistake. Top Gear was a huge revenue and viewer-ship generator the the BBC. The guy he had the altercation with even said don't fire him. A lot of the other stuff he supposedly did was blown out of proportion. He is not the only "difficult" celebrity.

They'll turn up on another network or Netflicks.

Come on, everyone is bashing the BBC and not the jackass who punched a guy over cold sandwiches.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Originally posted by BelemNole:

Originally posted by F4Gary:
Agree, big mistake. Top Gear was a huge revenue and viewer-ship generator the the BBC. The guy he had the altercation with even said don't fire him. A lot of the other stuff he supposedly did was blown out of proportion. He is not the only "difficult" celebrity.

They'll turn up on another network or Netflicks.

Come on, everyone is bashing the BBC and not the jackass who punched a guy over cold sandwiches.

I read that it was that he couldn't get a steak dinner because the kitchen at the restaurant had already closed by the time they finished shooting.

A hot steak.

With fries.

In some parts he could have just shot the producer and been done with it.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Bbc has been taking advantage of the three for years. Their annual base salaries didn't top a million until a few years ago, and for the most watched show on earth, showing in 215 countries last I saw, that's incredible. They have been getting their money from the revenues and merchandising deals etcc....

Hope the show continues somehow on another venue.

BBC is as hypocritical as any network, their rules for cover ups and firings are all over the map the last decade, not defending Clarkson just saying.

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[F4Gary]

Originally posted by mnole03:
I think Clarkson's a jerk and I don't really care for him, but this is about money. The show in its current format doesn't work without Clarkson. Everyone knows that. Their contracts were up and Clarkson gifted the BBC a way to get rid of them. All three would have demanded huge money and a larger budget. I'm not sure how profitable the show would be in the short-term, and there's some risk in offering them long-term deals.

I used to love Top Gear, but I've kind of moved on. I really like what Drive is doing. Chris Harris is compelling and it's nice to get opinions from a talented driver. Modern super cars and even high-end sports cars offer capability beyond the limits of most drivers. Mike Spinelli does a good job with the auto-buying talk. He's been ahead of a bunch of trends. I wish Drive would add Jay Leno. His car shows are excellent, and he provides a perspective that doesn't exist anywhere else. He actually owns the cars. He has great insights and relationships with automakers and auction houses.

Haven't seen Drive. What network and when.

 

[kc78]

Not certain how you can say the BBC took advantage of Clarkson (The other two, ok). Clarkson had negotiated a percentage of the shows profits when he first came on and there were plenty of stories that he was making a killing off of the show and the BBC was unhappy about it. A few years back he sold those rights back to the BBC, but it was for a pretty large sum.

 

[mnole03]

Originally posted by F4Gary:

Originally posted by mnole03:

I used to love Top Gear, but I've kind of moved on. I really like what Drive is doing. Chris Harris is compelling and it's nice to get opinions from a talented driver. Modern super cars and even high-end sports cars offer capability beyond the limits of most drivers. Mike Spinelli does a good job with the auto-buying talk. He's been ahead of a bunch of trends. I wish Drive would add Jay Leno. His car shows are excellent, and he provides a perspective that doesn't exist anywhere else. He actually owns the cars. He has great insights and relationships with automakers and auction houses.

Haven't seen Drive. What network and when.

Drive is a YouTube channel with a number of separate shows. They also do specials on NBC Sports for major automotive events. At some point I think the goal is to move to an app on Apple TV, Google Play, and Amazon Fire. They have great production values and most shows have pretty solid writing. The basic shows right now are Chris Harris, a show about car tuners both well known professional shops and crazy individuals, a show about muscle cars: original and restomods, a car care and essentials show, a really good show about the used car market and trends, and a show about news: racing and automotive general interest.