Why The BBC Would Be Completely Justified To Sack Jeremy Clarkson

I know the headline of this article will likely lead to anger in the comments section, but I urge you to hear me out. It’s time to be rational about this whole situation and look at the bigger picture. In case you were hiding under a WiFi-less rock yesterday, here’s a quick summary of yesterday’s big news: Jeremy Clarkson was suspended by the BBC after allegedly aiming a punch at a producer. This morning, The Mirror reported that the reason for the ‘fracas’ was because the producer, Oisin Tymon, forgot to prepare dinner after a shoot. Again, that’s allegedly.

We all know Clarkson has courted controversy in the past, and his unique way with words has landed him in hot water with his employers. He always gets away with it for two keys reasons. First of all, he brings in serious cash for the corporation. Top Gear is broadcast in more than 100 countries and contributed heavily to the BBC’s commercial arm making £300m last year. The second reason is a little more complex, but I’ll try to be succinct.

Due to the way the BBC is funded - by the general public through their TV license - it has to be able to justify every penny it spends. That’s why celebs who create scandals tend not to survive too long, and end up at other broadcasters - Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand spring to mind.

Fortunately for JC, I believe it’s also part of the reason he survives. The BBC has to appeal to everyone in the country to justify taking their money, which is why you have shows as diverse as Top Gear and Call The Midwife. If the BBC doesn’t broadcast at least something you’re interested in on TV or radio, then you’re in a very small minority.

Therefore I, and many others, believe that it is important for the BBC to be edgy and controversial. Its remit and its legal obligation is to push boundaries and to pave the way for new technology - all UK ‘on demand’ services have come up out of the BBC’s iPlayer experiment, for example - and being safe and conformist doesn’t advance that.

I feel like that’s important to understand when it comes to Clarkson’s potentially racist slurs, or his insulting comments about lorry drivers. For every person that finds it offensive, there will be people who don’t, and others who find it downright hilarious. That is the BBC doing its job, even if Jeremy really has pushed his luck on that. But let us be clear: that is NOT what is happening here, and we and he can have no complaints if he gets booted from the show.

If the allegations are true, and there have been no moves to deny them from Clarkson’s camp, he should be sacked. Forgetting who he is for one moment; if a person in any other job took a swing at another member of staff, they would be fired on the spot. This isn’t a grey area of offence, this is one man trying to punch another, and it is unacceptable.

There’s a petition online to have Jeremy Clarkson reinstated. First of all, it’s kind of pointless, because the BBC already knows how popular he is and how unpopular the decision to sack him would be. But secondly, if you sign it, just think about the message you’re sending out: ‘If you’re famous enough or successful enough you can do whatever the hell you want and get away with it.’ Yeah, I don’t really want to be a part of that.

Stepping away from the pantomime of it all - i.e. some guy who’s a bit contro did something a bit naughty, the stuffy oldies told him off and it’s fun to complain - this is a case of an entitled douchebag losing his temper. I love Jeremy Clarkson. I love that he’s controversial, I love his sense of humour, and I love Top Gear, but I’m angry at him for putting the show in this precarious position. This series has been the best it’s been for years, and I’m gutted the show might not go on.

But will they sack him? Conspiracy theorists among us might look at the fact that Clarkson and as yet un-punched producer Andy Wilman sold their 50 per cent stake in the show in 2012. Clarkson and co. then signed three year contracts, which will run out this year. With Clarkson on a final warning, perhaps the Beeb was considering not renewing his contract. This whole situation, therefore, could be a publicity stunt to get the internet into a frenzy about keeping Jezza in place, and remind the corporation just how important he is. I seriously hope this isn’t true, because as far as stunts go, this would be moronic.

At this point it’s impossible to know what the future holds for Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear. Whether he’s sacked or not, I doubt this is the last we’ll see of Clarkson, as pretty much any broadcaster in the world would empty their coffers to have him on their channel. If you’re angry TG might disappear, don’t be angry at the BBC, be angry at Clarkson for putting them in an impossible position.