Removing moderators hat!

[ranworthbreeze]

I am sure you will have all heard that Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended and the Top Gear program will not be aired on Sunday. I caught the news on the radio on the way home early yesterday evening.

 

These days on BBC I tend to watch very little and Top Gear is one of my highlights of the week.

 

I know Jeremy Clarkson is a bit like Marmite, love him or hate him he is what he is and without him the program would hardly be worth watching, it is the interaction between the three presenters that makes the program. 

 

The thoughts above are mine without my moderators hat on. What do you think and have you signed the reinstatement petition? 

 

Regards

Alan

[Labrador]

Love Marmite, hate Clarkson. A reason for reinstating him is, that Top Gear makes lots of money for the BBC, is that a reason for him to get away with anything he wants? Maybe he should have been a banker!

[Gracie]

When i saw the title i thought you were getting rid of Iain  I totally agree with Labrador, if I never see or hear that man again it would be too soon. 'Maybe he should have been a banker', I would like to re-phrase that sentence but I fear I might get Modded 

 

Grace

[Guest]

...... What do you think and have you signed the reinstatement petition? 

 

No, but I'd probably sign a "please don't reinstate him" petition if there was one.

 

The program as a whole is quite interesting, a very broad spectrum of motoring.

 

Lots of good content, like the star in a reasonably priced car.

 

Only marred by the huge ego of Clarkson, which has become increasingly more of a handicap to the whole show which is much bigger than him.

[bgw]

I'm with Alan,

 

One of the draws for me moving to Ireland was their distinct "disregard" for red tape and over the top political correctness.

I'm all for people treating each other with respect and kindness but I sometimes wonder if legislation goes too far. It's a shame that people are restricted by laws that are put in place to try and protect others from people that probably ignore the laws anyway!

 

I choose to watch Jeremy Clarkson because I find him humorous and straight talking. When he occasionally says or does something that I disagree with then I just switch him off.

 

Brian.

[BroadScot]

(Mods Hat Off!)

 

Well, sunday nights would just not be the same without the loveable rogue, the loveable bit used VERY loosely. Love him or hate him, he and his sidekicks have lit up many a driech nights telly watching. 

 

I agree SKY would jump at the chance of getting the middle aged Yorkshireman onto their payroll, they would probably expand the programe too, like they have done with all the top sports coverage they do.

 

We don't know what really happened......yet! Perhaps we never will. 

 

Finally, whilst the bloke is a total plonker at times, or appears to be, he is a motoring journalist first and foremost, so I think you will find he is cleverer than some would give him credit for.

 

Now I will be forced to talk to SWMBO for a whole hour till Poldark comes on!

 

Iain.

[smellyloo]

Clarkson's success can be attributed to his desire/willingness to court controvercy.

 

I too would like to see a "Please sack clarkson" campaign as I feel the current Top gear format is running out of ideas. .... witness the latest, pointless ambulance conversion sketch.

 

Some of the travel inspired sketches are quite interesting but the "men behaving badly" slant is now somewhat dated.

[650xs]

have me and mr clarkson got some thing in common...!!!!????????

 

big mouth ,big gut and a big numtptie.........

 

must be me .....!!!!

[JawsOrca]

Can you mods please stop and put the hats back on.. I'm dreading what Grace is dream up doing to the forum... I've added more fuel to the Firewalls, Grace so don't you even think about it!

 

Personally I can't think of anything which is on the BBC which I watch other than top gear... (although I don't watch much telly). JC is a nutter and at times he oversteps the mark but clearly the production company and the BBC play on this, we all know that the media do a very job at editing things so it's clearly them that have made top gear and JC into what it is. It wouldn't surprise me that this is all part of the script! If so it's clearly doing the trick as it's been talked about! JC is top gear, it's not going anywhere, if this is true I'm sure some largely unheard producer will be leaving along time before JC or it will simply be produced by someone else.  

 

[ranworthbreeze]

I do not know who the producer of the program is but I bet they have disappeared into the woodwork at the BBC and wishing that they had bit their lip!

I fully agree with all of the above comments.

Regards

Alan

[Matt]

I reckon it's all just more publicity.....

[BroadScot]

Well, instead of Top Gear, its Red Arrows: Inside the Bubble at 8pm on Sunday!

 

 

Iain.

[Mowjo]

Having met Mr J.C a few years back this comes as no supprise, he was one of the rudest most obnoxious and arrogant people I have ever met and suffers with "I'm the centre of the Earth syndrome" I quite like the program as they all work well together, but unless he has mellowed over the years as a person he stinks, he wasn't as well known back then so he may even be worse now, at the time my son in law and myself were what I jokingly call Carpet fitters to the Stars, I can honestly say he the one person I wouldn't want to meet again,,,

 

Frank,,,,

[FairTmiddlin]

Can you imagine the motor manufacturers climbing each others backs, to get to advertise on ITV or Murdoch's wonder emporium, if a TG style show was on their channel the revenue would be huge.

Remember the format is sold as a programme or franchise all over the world and this is not due to the producers or the BBC this is down to the three presenters.

And don't forget its this income that keeps your TV licence price down.

And also the statement so far only states that he threw a punch. It does not say it connected.

[LondonRascal]

The problem here is because the BBC have suffered so many issues not just with Clarkson I might add for long time they are now super sensitive to anything – they need both internally as an organisation, and externally to us here in the UK and wider world be seen to be upholding certain values and ‘;doing it by the book’.

 

I don’t think Clarkson as a person is particularly nice, but as part of the Hammond and May team that formula works – even if the show is struggling to find new things to do, and some of the ‘stunts’ are so obviously planned in more recent episodes I still have a good laugh watching Top Gear.

 

Leave aside the shows money making for the BBC and popularity amongst the faithful, I am trying to see why the BBC have done what they have – suspend him, investigate the situation (after all always 2 sides to a story) and we as the public have been given so little and so much is being spun by the wider press.  What I can’t figure out is the cancellation of the episodes and possible scrapping the series.

 

They have jumped initially thinking fast decisive action would win support – I am not sure it has – while many a ‘Jezzerr hater’ might want him to be gone, there are plenty others who might like ‘Captain Slow’ so why should they miss out on segments featuring him?

 

They can’t really back track now, so I fear that will be the end of the series – of course the problem is this happened while filming the next series, so do they now scrap the show altogether?  All the costs that have so far been incurred and then try and come up with a new formula?  Certainly the BBC are between a hard place and a rock and frankly I can see someone like Sky offering the trio vast sums to move the format over to them.

[ranworthbreeze]

My understanding of this is that a fracas started when there was no catering facilities when filming out in the sticks recently.

We had a film shoot at our local Community Centre a few months ago where we could watch the filming but of course we were instructed what we could do or not do, about 50 extras plus cast and a crew so of course they catered.

I guess it is just watch this space.

It might be an idea to bring the quiz back to Sunday if we are to endure no Top Gear.

Regards

Alan

[Gracie]

I think they could run a show about fashion and shoes instead, or even some cartoons for kids of all ages like, say, Captain Pugwash 

 

Grace

[BuffaloBill]

 

 

 "of course the problem is this happened while filming the next series, so do they now scrap the show altogether? "

 According to the Sun, who he writes for on Saturdays, says that it is filmed

on a Wednesday prior to being shown the following Sunday, so it's this series

they were filming.

Only the likes of the India/Argentina type of content is recorded earlier, which

is pretty obvious though!

I never miss the show if possible as it's a scream and should not be taken

seriously at all. It's a Lads show! But...... I do think that there needs to be an

update to the things that they do. It's getting boring in places, even to me......

If the show were to carry on without JC, I think it would flop big time as Richard

and James don't have the charisma to carry it. It's the 3 of them that makes it work.

[JawsOrca]

I think they could run a show about fashion and shoes instead, or even some cartoons for kids of all ages like, say, Captain Pugwash 

 

Grace

 

Grace you have the whole of sky for these shows...  lol

[Labrador]

If, as I have read, there is an allegation that he physically assaulted the producer then he must be suspended until the investigation has taken place, just as a member of the police, teacher, etc. would be. If the allegation turned out to be correct the BBC would be in deeper water for not suspending him. 

[GeoffandWendy]

I think he had it coming, as he has been close to the mark for a long time now, but having said that, I do like Top Gear and replacing him with somebody who can fit in with May & Hammond, is going to be difficult, because without Clarkson, it won't be the same. The three of them together, running each other down, is what makes Top Gear enjoyable.  

 

Top Gear has changed dramatically to what it used to be when it first started, whether for the better, depends on your view. Gone are the days, when they reviewed the latest manufacturers cars that any of us could afford to buy, without having to take out another mortgage to own one.

 

Jeremy Clarkson only has himself to blame and whether he will be reinstated by public demand, we will have to wait and see, but I think he has gone too far this time.

 

Whether Top Gear does continue, depends on the BBC, but whatever happens, without the Three Stooges, it will never be the same without Clarkson.

[ranworthbreeze]

By all accounts the website that is hosting the petition for reinstatement as crashed out because of all the volume of traffic, with over 200,000 people signing the petition since this morning. I bet there are many MP's wishing they had the support of now well over 400,000 people.

Regards

Alan

[BrundallNavy]

I use to really enjoy Top Gear, but the current series is rapidly descending down hill.

The skech about the Amulance was pointless, the Peugeot article degrading to Peugeot owners and the latest bit about the Swiss watch was perthetic and served no purpose other than to bulk out twenty minutes of television.

No presenter is bigger than the show and I think it's a great chance to revamp what was an excellent program.

Doug.

[Guest]

By all accounts the website that is hosting the petition for reinstatement as crashed out because of all the volume of traffic, with over 200,000 people signing the petition since this morning. I bet there are many MP's wishing they had the support of now well over 400,000 people.

 

400,000 certainly seems a lot, but a quick Google shows that a typical audience per Top Gear episode is around 6 million, so that is one in fifteen viewers.

[Guest]

....No presenter is bigger than the show and I think it's a great chance to revamp what was an excellent program....

 

Absolutely right.