Updated: Jeremy Clarkson Sacked By The BBC

The BBC has released a statement confirming that Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson will not have his contract renewed. An internal investigation, lead by Director of the BBC Lord Hall, revealed that the 54-year-old would be leaving his position after verbally and physically abusing producer Oisin Tymon.

The statement reads:

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.

The news follows reports last night that the 54-year-old was set to lose his job, with Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans the favourite to take his place. Speculation has been rife about whether the BBC would continue the lucrative series without Clarkson, however the statement confirmed the BBC would seek to carry on the series. It is currently unclear whether Richard Hammond and James May will continue to host the show without their mate.

The statement is reproduced in full below:

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.

James May has been talking to reporters outside his home, and has given a strong hint that he will leave Top Gear.

The man responsible for firing Jeremy Clarkson has explained his decision.

Clarkson’s co-hosts have taken to Twitter to update on their situation, with James May further hinting that he will not continue on the show.

North Yorkshire Police have released a statement saying that they are liaising with the BBC to find out if a criminal charge can be brought forward against Clarkson.