Top Gear on Hold - Clarkson suspended by beeb.

[Stringent]

I see the live shows are still going ahead, with all BBC Branding removed, so its something like Clarkson, Hammond and May Live. Sort of like allowing the boys one last hurrah.

[Saracen]

I see the live shows are still going ahead, with all BBC Branding removed, so its something like Clarkson, Hammond and May Live. Sort of like allowing the boys one last hurrah.

More a case of .... sort of not getting sued for breaching contract commitments.

[Stringent]

Also sort of not having to dish out all the refunds ...

[peterb]

Bit of a bump, but this was interesting... But could be part of a giant publicity campaign

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/top-...mpaign=DM12880

[ik9000]

Bit of a bump, but this was interesting... But could be part of a giant publicity campaign

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/top-...mpaign=DM12880

the BBC has kind of burnt its bridges. The team could reassemble, including production team on a new channel or freelance, but not as Top Gear. To reinstate Clarkson would be tantamount to admitting their own incompetence/short sightedness in handling the situation thus far, no way could the BBC go back now without much whining and pilliorying from the liberal media and lefty MPs, talking heads and the like who would make a real lentil-fuelled sulphide stench.

[Andy3536]

Bit of a bump, but this was interesting... But could be part of a giant publicity campaign

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/top-...mpaign=DM12880

That's a great read. His book is well worth a go too.
Not too sure it's a stunt though, i think we've seen the end to Top Gear as it was. Which is a shame. It'll never be as good without the 'team'.

[Stringent]

Also doubt its a stunt. Can dream though. TBH I think he needs a proper 'break' from it all to sort himself out with all the stresses he has been under. People thought he was fired from his column (Sun?) but he said he was on holiday.

Also apparently the last episodes of TG featuring him will be shown according to the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articl...uring-clarkson

[peterb]

No, I don't really think it was a stunt (at least not now) so maybe I should have added a smiley to my post!

But that narrative by Ben Collins does through another side to the characters, and I suppose a reminder that the on-screen persona does not necessarily reflect that of the real person. But that is the persons choice!

But TV prigs come and go, and maybe it was of its time and that time was running out anyway.

[Saracen]

and I suppose a reminder that the on-screen persona does not necessarily reflect that of the real person. But that is the persons choice!

But TV prigs come and go, and maybe it was of its time and that time was running out anyway.

In my admittedly limited experience, rarely does on-screen persona accurately reflect the real person. Those condemning Clarkson for his loutish attitudes, and they are numerous, need to remember that's what he was paid for !

And, of course, he who pays the piper calls the tune. Top Gear, and Clarkson's stylistic choice of being willing to push at the edges of what people are allowed to say continued for years precisely because it's what the BBC paid him to do. For years. If they were so borderline offended by his 'antics', they could have pulled him up any time they wanted.

And as for the "warnings" he was given, oh please. The BBC stance seems to have been to pay him millions to be controversial, and then act all shocked and horrified when it goes a bit too far. Well, BBC, play with matches and eventually, you'll get burned.

Stench of rank hypocrisy from BBC management?

[ik9000]

Wilman has now quit....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32437814

Do I sense a move of the key team coming on?

[Saracen]

...

Ultimately I believe that the individual is responsible for the decisions that they take, and any repercussions from that. I don't believe that it's ever acceptable (and it seems that you agree with me on this front) to use physical intimidation or violence against a coworker. If JC was under the level of stress (again, I've not seen anything official stating that this was the case) that some people are suggesting then it's his responsibility to inform his employer, and their responsibility to take whatever action is required to manage this.

I do agree that physical intimidation, let alone assault, is unacceptable. I don't believe dismissal (or it's equivalent, invthis case, of contract non-renewal) is necessarily, automatically, the only solution and that mitigating circumstances should be taken into account .... as should the likelihood of a repeat of that behaviour, putting other staff, or customers, etc, at risk.

As for the "anything official" bit, details are now leaking out. Apparently, his marriage had just broken up, his mother had just died, and he had just (day before, IIRC) been told by his doctor that a lump on his tongue was "probably cancer", and that he should get to hospital to get it checked/biopsied "immediately .... which he couldn't do without wrecking the TG shooting schedule. So he went on the shoot. Personally, I'd have been at the hospital and the shoot could wait, but Clarkson put TG first, more fool him. And that's on top of being exhausted due to an extended schedule, for 12 episodes over the normal 8 against his wishes, and a very long, hard day. Only to be told it was sandwiches for dinner, and no hot meal.

So no, physical violence isn't ever justified, and clearly wasn't here, but given that, it IS understandable that someone exhausted, and so highly stressed, could snap over something apparently so trivial.

It therefore becomes whether the BBC actions were necessary, proportionate, justified given all the circumstances, and I'm leaning more towards "no" as more comes out.

[Splash]

It therefore becomes whether the BBC actions were necessary, proportionate, justified given all the circumstances, and I'm leaning more towards "no" as more comes out.

Given that at least some of those circumstances (including going against medical advice) were based on decisions that he made (if he's the be all and end all of Top Gear that people suggest then I really don't think that postponing filming for a day or 3 so that he could have a pressing medical issue investigated, ditto if he was *really* averse to filming 12 episodes then surely he could have wielded some influence over whoever made that decision.) how would you have preferred the BBC to have acted?

The guy has my sympathy: bad things happen to good people all the time. It was a TV show, he wasn't doing any job that I would say comes under the remit of "can't take the time to deal with personal issues" in my opinion. If he chooses not to handle those issues like a reasonable human being because he's lost in the world of celebrity then it's certainly not reasonable to take things out on his work colleagues (we seem to agree on this bit, at least), and given that he'd already been issued a number of alleged warnings including a final warning (ie he'd been through the normal processes that companies use to manage disciplinary issues) I don't honestly see how they could have done anything else.

I understand that at least a part of his appeal to those who love his work is that he liked to sail close to the wind, but doing so comes at the very real risk of something like this happening.

Anyhoo - I think I've put my point across enough in this thread. I understand that people think in different ways, but I don't understand how the body who seems to be copping the blame in this situation is the BBC.

[Millennium]

Sounds like one way or another he was in a place that needed a break, Saracen.

Apologies for bumping this 17 page thread just to point that out, but sad news for the show's 100s of millions of viewer that his mum passed, that's something that needs a virtual bump. I don't think I'd have been filming, whatever the money.

[Saracen]

Sounds like one way or another he was in a place that needed a break, Saracen.

Apologies for bumping this 17 page thread just to point that out, but sad news for the show's 100s of millions of viewer that his mum passed, that's something that needs a virtual bump. I don't think I'd have been filming, whatever the money.

It'd already been bumped today, as more comes out.

It seems it's more than money. Top Gear was his .... passion. And largely the child of Clarkson and Exec Producer Wilmott, who now also seems to have gone.

He probably did need to take a break, but I suspect you underestimate both the pressures exerted by having 120 other people on the team taking a break, and the passion for the project. Also, sometimes, when under that kind of stress, the last thing you need is to sit at home and brood over it. Nonetheless, pressure it is.

[Saracen]

I don't think the BBC gets the blame, Splash. But I do think that they contributed to the pressure, and handled it in a cack-handed way, due in all likelihood to everybody from the press to politicians all wading in and expressing opinions without all the facts. And we've seen before how sensitive the Beeb can be to be seen to be doing the best thing in PC terms.

And the Beeb does deserve some of the blame, if only that, whoever exactly had the job, someone was supposed to ge organising food, and that doesn't mean sandwiches, after a long, hard day.

No, obviously, a punch isn't an acceptable reaction, but nonetheless, someone on the production staff cocked up. And that triggered the 'incident'.

[opel80uk]

Just on a point if order on this, and the issue of whether the production team cocked up, numerous reports stated that Clarkson kept the production team waiting while he went to the pub, and the reason why there was no hot food available was because he came back 2 hours later than had been originally agreed and the chef had gone home by the time they got back. If this is true, unless the BBC are going pay, with tax payers money, a chef to be on hand 24/7 to allow for hot food being available for whenever Clarkson decides to come back from the pub, then it's hard to see how the blame lies with the production team. If anything, Clarkson was acting the diva, stresses or no stresses.

There's also the issue of reports also alleging Clarkson called the producer a 'lazy irish c**t'. The BBC report didn't specify what insults were used, so it's hard to know what was said, although perhaps tellingly it hasn't been refuted by any of the parties involved. Again, if true it's hard to see how the BBC could've come to a different conclusion of his position being untenable.

All in all, and especially in light of how abysmally they've acted previously, I think the BBC have it spot on. Clarkson can go sort himself out and will not be short of offers, and the BBC will be able to reboot a show that, although I don't watch it personally, those that I know that do say it needed anyway. Win/win.