Jeremy Clarkson’s contract will not be renewed after a physical altercation with a producer, the BBC’s director general Tony Hall has said.
Lord Hall said he had “not taken this decision lightly” and recognised it would “divide opinion”.
However, he added “a line has been crossed” and he “cannot condone what has happened on this occasion”.
Clarkson was suspended on 10 March, following what was called a “fracas” with Oisin Tymon in a Yorkshire hotel.
The row was said to have occurred because no hot food was provided for him following a day’s filming.
An internal investigation began last week, led by Ken MacQuarrie, the director of BBC Scotland.
Mr Tymon did not file a formal complaint and it is understood Clarkson reported himself to BBC bosses.
After that, the BBC’s director of television, Danny Cohen, felt he had no choice but to suspend the presenter pending an investigation.
The decision caused an outpouring of support from Top Gear fans, with more than a million people signing an online petition to reinstate him.
Jeremy Clarkson took a slightly dull and failing car programme and turned it in to the biggest factual TV show in the World.
But this sacking has nothing to do with style, opinions, popularity – or even his language on the show.
It’s about what stars are allowed to get away with off screen, a topic that’s been top of the agenda for the BBC in recent months.
The corporation has had to overhaul all of its policies and attitudes towards bullying and harassment, and a long verbal tirade and a physical assault would have crossed the line for any member of staff.
Clarkson may be popular with the audience, and the BBC really did not want to lose him, but this was a star who admitted he was on his final warning and a corporation that was under intense scrutiny over what its top talent can and cannot get away with.
Writing in his column in the Sun newspaper earlier this month, Clarkson had appeared to hint he was close to quitting, calling himself a “dinosaur” and adding: “These big imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on.”
It is expected that Top Gear, one of BBC Two’s most popular programmes, will continue without Clarkson, who will now become the subject of a bidding war by other broadcasters.
The magazine show is one of the BBC’s biggest properties, with overseas sales worth an estimated £50m a year for the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.
Whether Clarkson’s co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond will remain with the show has yet to be confirmed.
All three had their contracts up for renewal this year.
Meanwhile, one of Clarkson’s potential replacements, Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, has rubbished press speculation that he was to join the show.
“Not only is it not true, it’s absolute nonsense,” he told his listeners on Wednesday morning.
“From what I’ve seen on Twitter and various social media, there’s a 50/50 split approximately as to whether me being involved in the show is a good idea.
“In TV or radio, if you get a 50/50 love/hate reaction that usually equals massive hit. I used to work for [ratings body] Barb and knock on people’s doors and this was the rule of thumb.
“However, I’m in the no camp. So regardless of whether it would be a hit, I’m voting a no for myself on that show, so that’s never going happen.
“And that’s the end of that.”
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Source: BBC