{"id":98622,"date":"2015-03-11T16:05:39","date_gmt":"2015-03-11T16:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=98622"},"modified":"2015-03-11T16:05:39","modified_gmt":"2015-03-11T16:05:39","slug":"clarkson-petition-reaches-350000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/03\/clarkson-petition-reaches-350000\/","title":{"rendered":"Clarkson petition reaches 350,000"},"content":{"rendered":"
An online petition calling for the BBC to “reinstate” Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been signed by more than 350,000 people.<\/p>\n
Clarkson, 54, was suspended after a “fracas” with one of the show’s producers, Oisin Tymon.<\/p>\n
Sunday’s episode of Top Gear will not be shown, and it is understood the two final episodes in the series will also be dropped.<\/p>\n
The petition was started on Tuesday by political blogger Guido Fawkes.<\/p>\n
It reached the 250,000 mark by mid-morning on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Asked about the Clarkson incident, co-presenter James May told BBC News: “I think he’s been involved in a bit of a dust-up and I don’t think it’s that serious.” He said he had not been present.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Clarkson’s retweeted a message to his 4.5m Twitter followers from a Top Gear viewer which read: “How can BBC not show the remaining episodes of Top Gear, can’t this be resolved without making the fans suffer?”<\/p>\n
He had exchanged suggestions on Twitter with Top Gear co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May about films that could be aired in place of the Sunday’s planned episode.<\/p>\n
BBC News special correspondent Lucy Manning said sources had confirmed reports Clarkson was suspended for “allegedly hitting a producer”.<\/p>\n
“The incident is believed to have happened last week, but was reported to the BBC on Monday and dealt with on Tuesday,” she said.<\/p>\n