It is a good time to be a Times columnist. Smarting from having Quentin Letts lifted from their pages to be spread across News UK’s titles, Daily Mail editor Geordie Grieg is on the hunt for columnists to fill the inches previously filled by Quentin. He is looking to nab a Times columnist in revenge. Rumour is that Giles Coren has been an object of his attention, as has the well-remunerated Jeremy Clarkson. So far we understand he has been rebuffed…
.@maureenlipman, who has been highly critical of the @JeremyCorbyn, invites him out for dinner live on air. #Peston pic.twitter.com/d2cMCh1WpD
— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) April 22, 2018
The New European has big feature trailed on their front page today on how Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond “built the Brexit juggernaut” and are are “UKIP on Tour” . There’s only one problem. The ex-Top Gear team backed Remain:
The sacked ex-Mirror columnist Kevin O’Sullivan only mentions this in passing 86 lines after he confidently wrote: “For them, Brexit isn’t a political decision, it’s a way of life.” Fake news headlines…
Amazon have unveiled their latest plans for hybrid drones for rapid parcel delivery in a new advert narrated by Jeremy Clarkson. The drones are expected to be capable of flying 15 miles at speeds of over 55mph. Guido has no doubt they will be coming to an Amazon Original TV series near you soon…
The BBC’s Jeremy Bowen is in Saudi Arabia reporting on the latest from the conflict in Yemen. There is however only one question on the lips of Saudi soldiers:
He’s their star in a reasonably priced Eurofighter Typhoon…
Jimmy Mulville of Hat Trick Productions says:
“On reflection, Jeremy Clarkson has decided not to host Have I Got News For You. We fully expect him to resume his hosting duties later in the year.”
Boo.
Statement from North Yorkshire Police:
“North Yorkshire Police has now completed its routine enquiries following the incident at Hawes involving Mr Jeremy Clarkson, and we will not be pursuing this matter any further.
North Yorkshire Police takes a thorough and victim-led approach to all investigations.
Last week, the person at the centre of the incident, Mr Tymon, said that he did not wish the police to take action on his behalf. However, at that point we still needed to speak to some members of the public who were present at the time of the incident, who had been affected by the event, and whose views also needed to be considered.
Now that all the interviews are complete, we have properly established that there is no need for further police action.”
The winner of today’s Caption Contest will receive a copy of Eliza Filby’s God and Mrs Thatcher:
“A woman demonised by the left and sanctified by the right, there has always been a religious undercurrent to discussions of Margaret Thatcher. A truly original perspective on the source and substance of Margaret Thatcher’s political values and the role that religion played in the politics of this tumultuous decade.”
Make them witty…
Oisin Tymon says he doesn’t want to press charges. Sorry lefties.
“We work very much as a package.”
Buy ITV and BSkyB…
UPDATE:
Looks like Hammond’s off too:
Statement from Tony Hall:
It is with great regret that I have told Jeremy Clarkson today that the BBC will not be renewing his contract. It is not a decision I have taken lightly. I have done so only after a very careful consideration of the facts and after personally meeting both Jeremy and Oisin Tymon.
I am grateful to Ken MacQuarrie for the thorough way he has conducted an investigation of the incident on 4th March. Given the obvious and very genuine public interest in this I am publishing the findings of his report. I take no pleasure in doing so. I am only making them public so people can better understand the background. I know how popular the programme is and I also know that this decision will divide opinion. The main facts are not disputed by those involved.
I want to make three points.
First – The BBC is a broad church. Our strength in many ways lies in that diversity. We need distinctive and different voices but they cannot come at any price. Common to all at the BBC have to be standards of decency and respect. I cannot condone what has happened on this occasion. A member of staff – who is a completely innocent party – took himself to Accident and Emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature. For me a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations.
Second – This has obviously been difficult for everyone involved but in particular for Oisin. I want to make clear that no blame attaches to him for this incident. He has behaved with huge integrity throughout. As a senior producer at the BBC he will continue to have an important role within the organisation in the future.
Third – Obviously none of us wanted to find ourselves in this position. This decision should in no way detract from the extraordinary contribution that Jeremy Clarkson has made to the BBC. I have always personally been a great fan of his work and Top Gear. Jeremy is a huge talent. He may be leaving the BBC but I am sure he will continue to entertain, challenge and amuse audiences for many years to come.
The BBC must now look to renew Top Gear for 2016. This will be a big challenge and there is no point in pretending otherwise. I have asked Kim Shillinglaw to look at how best we might take this forward over the coming months. I have also asked her to look at how we put out the last programmes in the current series.
Sad day for Top Gear fans, BBC licence fee payers and the 1,033,933 who signed the petition to reinstate Jeremy. No doubt his enemies within the BBC will be cheering that they have finally found an excuse to get rid of him. Lentils all round.
City brokers Liberium say “Buy ITV” shares and are projecting a billion pound rise in ITV’s value:
Boom!
The Telegraph has the story:
Jeremy Clarkson is to be sacked as Top Gear presenter after a BBC investigation concluded he did attack a producer on the programme.
Lord Hall, the Director General of the BBC, is expected to announce his decision on Wednesday after considering the findings of an internal investigation.
Clarkson, 54, will be thanked for his work on the hugely popular motoring show, but will be told such behaviour cannot be tolerated at the Corporation.
It is understood a report into the so-called ‘fracas’ at a North Yorkshire hotel,concluded that presenter spent 20 minutes verbally abusing producer Oisin Tymon, before launching a 30 second physical assault on him.
Chris Evans is being lined up as his replacement. The BBC ignores the will of the licence fee payer once again…
Boris on the main issue of the week:
“I am instinctively pro-Clarkson because he fuels lefty indignation.”
Jeremy Clarkson in the latest Top Gear mag says…
“We try to make sure there’s something for everyone, unless they live in North London, eat tofu, think Ed Miliband has a point and wish there was more health and safety.”
See the petition be delivered:
Are you listening Danny?
The Bring Back Clarkson petition is on course to hit a million sigtomorrowon Friday and we have a big surprise lined up. Make it happen by sharing this on Facebook and Twitter.
… For one night only as the guest presenter on the new series of Have I Got News For You next month. The show’s production company says “Maybe we will get the producer on so he can hit Jeremy Clarkson live on television”.
If you want to see Clarkson back full time:
Share with someone who hasn’t yet signed…
We are 95% of the way to reach a million signatures on the petition. We could be there by tomorrow evening. Share with someone who hasn’t yet signed…
Bruce Charlton writes…
“Every couple of months there is a major concerted attempt by the media to get Clarkson sacked by seizing on some trivial or manufactured ‘gaffe’. Clarkson (and his co-presenters) have triumphantly survived all of these so far; appearing utterly un-fazed by the hate campaigns; emerging not only unscathed but apparently cheerful, carefree – and as cheeky as ever.[…] Read the rest
Peter Mandelson tells Emma Barnett…
“I think that Jeremy Corbyn himself should search his conscience and ask himself whether he’s the best person to lead the Labour Party into the general election with the best chance of success for the party.”
