When we read BBC’s statement yesterday a lot of things went through our minds. Sure, knowing Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson’s pranks, we thought it’s just another one of their stunts and soon enough one of the three musketeers would tweet that everything was just a joke. The official statement confirming the news was when we started taking it serious. It turns out a punch in the face was the last drop in a glass Top Gear’s lead singer has been filling for several years now.
Update1: James May has just confirmed that Jeremy Clarkson was involved in a scandal that happened over dinner. Speaking outside his home, the Top Gear host added he doesn't really believe things are so bad as people think they are. (It's kind of weird that he was questioned by a BBC reporter, but who are we to judge?)
Before we look into it, we'd like to first talk about what the other two members of the famous boy-band are doing. Is James May shooting arrows towards BBC? Is Richard Hammond celebrating or sharing tears? No, none of these actually happened. Instead, they seem to be enjoying themselves, exchanging jokes on their Twitter accounts.
No Top Gear this weekend, apparently. How about 633 Squadron instead? @JeremyClarkson@RichardHammond
— James May (@MrJamesMay) March 10, 2015
Save Clarkson? Save empty cardboard boxes and off-cuts of string. They're far more useful.
— James May (@MrJamesMay) March 11, 2015
No, surely, Last of the Summer Wine; no one will notice the difference. Job done. @MrJamesMay@JeremyClarkson
— Richard Hammond (@RichardHammond) March 10, 2015 Hey, even Clarkson's daughter is trying to make BBC get him back, since she recently tweeted Jeremy started cooking.
Oh God, BBC please take him back... He's started cooking...
— Em Clarkson (@EmClarkson1) March 10, 2015 Good, now that we know what the others are doing, let us get back to Jeremy's attack.
Well, Clarkson’s fist didn’t actual made it to the BBC producer’s face, but the 54-year old television star sure tried to. The alleged assault was only reported to the corporation two days ago, and BBC executives took the decision to suspend Clarkson yesterday. This is what appears to have happened. Even though Clarkson somehow confirmed it on Twitter, he was kind of ironic so it's not necessarilly how it went down.
Sorry Ed. It seems I knocked your "I'm a human" piece down the news agenda.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) March 10, 2015 Did Clarkson really try to hit a fellow BBC producer? That’s quite hard to tell, but judging by his long line of incidents it’s possible. After all he’s been the cockiest of the three-boy band ever since Formula One driver Damon Hill appeared on the show for the first time as the star, back in 2005.
Will the remaining three episodes still air? Most likely they will not, at least not as scheduled. Take the penultimate episode, who was supposed to air on March 22, but meanwhile has been replaced by a documentary about the Caribbean. To be honest, we’re quite sure the Top Gear producers won’t miss the chance to make some proper ratings out of this whole scandal, which is why we’re almost certain there’s going to be at least one more episode aired in the next weeks.
Want Clarkson back? Sign the petition!
Nevertheless, those hundred of thousands of people who consider themselves as Jeremy Clarkson’s biggest fans seemed to have already taken action. And since we’re living in the 21st century there’s already a petition asking BBC to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson to Top Gear. Stupid? Well, as we write this piece almost 210,000 people have already signed it.
Editor’s note: we could also tell you guys that it appears the producer who was attacked by Clarkson is in fact a 36-year old assistant producer named Oisin Tymon and that the whole conflict started after the Top Gear host did not get his dinner in time after filming for the BBC show in Newcastle. But these are tabloid rumors, nothing officially confirmed so far...
Update 2: Chanel 5 News has paid a visit to James May's house in order to ask for further details about Clarkson's incident. May acted in a very... May-esque manner - the presenter was adorable when he said he was "blind drunk when the incident took place". Sure, this also sees Captain Slow deflecting any other potential questions. In fact, you can see his reaction in the clip below.
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