The programme had (in my opinion) jumped the shark some time ago, and has become formulaic and predictable, with just the occasional enjoyable moment (ie Will Smith in the RPC). But while it still amused, attracted top guests, filled an important family time slot, remained popular (with almost as many viewers as Coronation ST), and earned a fortune for the BBC worldwide it carried on trundling along.
However Clarkson is THE unique feature in the show (love him or hate him), and without him it will become just another car show, and eventually wither and die. Some shows such as the Argentina one seemed very staged and tiresome, and it hasn't really been a real car show for some time.
Clarkson has seemed to be just going through the motions recently and maybe had been looking for an out, the constant PC battles must be frustrating, and it must be difficult to just keep churning out the same old stuff. He could certainly start again elsewhere (if he wanted to) and I personally would always watch him.
Whatever you think of Clarkson, he is the 'talent' on the show whilst producers are ten a penny (and doubtless he well knows it).
Disagree. The show's popularity is partly based on the presenters and partly on the stunts and races across foreign lands. And the way it's shot. All that's down to the 'ten a penny' producers.
All the ideas, stunts, races come from Hammond. He was a motorcycle journo before cars and the bike mags were doing this stuff 20 years ago. Top Gear just copied the bike stuff on a bigger scale using the licence fee and the TG marque to pay for it.
All the ideas, stunts, races come from Hammond. He was a motorcycle journo before cars and the bike mags were doing this stuff 20 years ago. Top Gear just copied the bike stuff on a bigger scale using the licence fee and the TG marque to pay for it.
Did you not see the old Top Gears with Clarkson, Needell and Wilson? Much of the humour and stunts were in those shows, only ruined when Kate Humble and the PC boys took over. Anyway we'll soon find out, I wonder how many series Hammond will be able to carry the show for, my guess maximum-One.
Whatever you think of Clarkson, he is the 'talent' on the show whilst producers are ten a penny (and doubtless he well knows it).
Disagree. The show's popularity is partly based on the presenters and partly on the stunts and races across foreign lands. And the way it's shot. All that's down to the 'ten a penny' producers.
Maybe so but replace those producers with a handful of equally capable ones and it's still a great show.
Whatever you think of Clarkson, he is the 'talent' on the show whilst producers are ten a penny (and doubtless he well knows it).
Disagree. The show's popularity is partly based on the presenters and partly on the stunts and races across foreign lands. And the way it's shot. All that's down to the 'ten a penny' producers.
Maybe so but replace those producers with a handful of equally capable ones and it's still a great show.
So 120,000 people have taken the time to sign a petition to get him reinstated (despite him not actually being sacked) without any reported facts being available beyond him getting into a fracas and allegedly punching his colleague. No background or context, no first hand account.
Right there ladies and gents is as clear a case of mass confirmation bias as you get i.e we like Jezzer, don't like the BBC, and therefore think he's the victim of a misjustice despite the absence of any available evidence to support this view.
For the record I enjoy the show myself, have read some of his books and don't really have any problem with him.
The program is crap, it is no way funny or humorous, the bloke is a racist and a total moron. The best bit is that I will no longer get strangely stared at by some knuckle dragger in my local when I say I don't watch it!!
That's the end of him i suspect. Wouldn't be surprised to see Suzi Perry take his place.
Oh dear God, no. She's absolutely awful, and the main reason I don't watch the Grand Prix on BBC any more. Clarkson is a twat, but that's what he's supposed to be.
Apparently himself Hammond and May have got together and decided to take the whole show to channel 5!
Personally I think it will be better TV onChannel 5 as they have no shame over there.
Well, they've got Classic Car Rescue so they could just change that title to Classic Car Presenter Rescue.
Here's a synopsis: Cockney mechanic Bernie Fineman and Canadian car dealer Mario Pacione are back to restore more rust buckets ageing, unfunny, slow, knackered, old journalists to their former glory.
So 120,000 people have taken the time to sign a petition to get him reinstated (despite him not actually being sacked) without any reported facts being available beyond him getting into a fracas and allegedly punching his colleague. No background or context, no first hand account.
Right there ladies and gents is as clear a case of mass confirmation bias as you get i.e we like Jezzer, don't like the BBC, and therefore think he's the victim of a misjustice despite the absence of any available evidence to support this view.
For the record I enjoy the show myself, have read some of his books and don't really have any problem with him.
So what's your point? That confirmation bias exists? And that you're not guilty of it? Pretty sure I remember a recent episode where you disagreed with me not on the basis of my post itself but because I made a tongue-in-cheek comment on the laziness of a binman and therefore I must be wrong and he must be the victim of my irrational hatred of the public sector, "despite the absence of any available evidence to support this view." So if anything you're just as bad as these people signing the petition in respect of choosing a side in an argument before you've fully informed yourself of the facts.
I'll also go ahead and admit that I am, from time to time, prone to confirmation bias. Everyone is. 120,000 people backing Jezza isn't a sign of anything other than his popularity.
Well, some of you on here have your wish come true. No Top gear this week or the last two. Looks like its the end of the road for Jeza and co. Top Gear hasn't been about cars for years and years (not normal one anyway), you've got chanel 5's effort for that. Clarkson was a rich man before the current Top Gear format and I doubt he is waking up this morning looking up jobs online. On the other hand the BBC have just cancelled a big money earner, may be Call the bloody Midwife can take up the slack Sunday evening. Who needs who?
I don't mind Clarkson and occasionally watch Top Gear but I can't think of any organisation in which it is acceptable to punch one of your colleagues in the face. If that's what Clarkson did, he imply has to be sacked by his employer, no matter how good he is. He'll be lucky if he's not prosecuted. All these allegations of a vast left wing conspiracy to get him out are just laughable.
I wonder how the people that signed the petition would feel if they got assaulted at work.
If anyone else on the street were involved in numerous racist/sexist/homophobic/assault incidents they'd have been sacked years ago.
This is the same public that cry about celebrities getting away with all sorts while earning millions yet signing the petition like hypocrites.
There is always two sides to a story, you never know the producer involved might have pushed the right buttons. Not that thumping someone is the correct way of resolving work related issues. But it would be nice to know the whole story before we judge.
I don't mind Clarkson and occasionally watch Top Gear but I can't think of any organisation in which it is acceptable to punch one of your colleagues in the face. If that's what Clarkson did, he imply has to be sacked by his employer, no matter how good he is. He'll be lucky if he's not prosecuted. All these allegations of a vast left wing conspiracy to get him out are just laughable.
Totally agree with this. Take the fact of who it is out of the situation and it's simple (assuming the allegations are true, of course).
the BBC have just cancelled a big money earner, may be Call the bloody Midwife can take up the slack Sunday evening. Who needs who?
You make a valid point. But they were "sweating the asset" weren't they? This latest series was scheduled to be 12 shows whereas previously there have only been maybe eight per year. So there were plenty of Sundays that were free of Top Gear anyway. If the Beeb actually grow a spine and bin Clarkson it will be interesting to see what happens not just with the show but also the magazine/website.
As a self-confessed petrolhead you'd have thought I'd have been a prime target for the show but I hated it and haven't watched an episode for around three years. So, there is certainly some opportunity there for the BBC to re-invent the car show and get back some of its lost audience.
I can't understand why they won't show the remaining shows. If they are complete and ready to roll it seems a waste of licence payers money to shelve them.
Whatever you think of Clarkson, he is the 'talent' on the show whilst producers are ten a penny (and doubtless he well knows it).
Disagree. The show's popularity is partly based on the presenters and partly on the stunts and races across foreign lands. And the way it's shot. All that's down to the 'ten a penny' producers.
Maybe so but replace those producers with a handful of equally capable ones and it's still a great show.
Replace Clarkson and it would be cr*p.
It is crap.
You don't have to like it or watch it to acknowledge it's a good show.
I feel the same way about Top Gear as I do about Chelsea FC - no desire to watch them and vehemently dislike them, but have to accept they're a great side.
The fact is if he did hit a colleague then the BBC does have no choice as workplace violence is not a joke. I have neither defended Clarkson or the BBC over this, just found it interesting that this was the straw that broke the camel's back, given his previous stunts were arguably worse. Would it set a precedent though? A lot of actors, performers and entertainers are alleged to physically abuse staff or aides and nothing comes of it. Even politicians have form on this, including at least one sitting Prime Minister.
The other thing is the actual incident apparently took place last week, so why has it only come to light now? The only fact is hardly any of the facts are known at this time so both calls to reinstate Jezza or for him to walk are premature.
I wonder how many of the team that make TG have had their living taken away from them? It would be fair the presume that a lot of them were not directly employed by thr BBC.
Comments
Carmaggedon, Chop Gear,
However Clarkson is THE unique feature in the show (love him or hate him), and without him it will become just another car show, and eventually wither and die. Some shows such as the Argentina one seemed very staged and tiresome, and it hasn't really been a real car show for some time.
Clarkson has seemed to be just going through the motions recently and maybe had been looking for an out, the constant PC battles must be frustrating, and it must be difficult to just keep churning out the same old stuff. He could certainly start again elsewhere (if he wanted to) and I personally would always watch him.
All the ideas, stunts, races come from Hammond. He was a motorcycle journo before cars and the bike mags were doing this stuff 20 years ago. Top Gear just copied the bike stuff on a bigger scale using the licence fee and the TG marque to pay for it.
Did you not see the old Top Gears with Clarkson, Needell and Wilson? Much of the humour and stunts were in those shows, only ruined when Kate Humble and the PC boys took over. Anyway we'll soon find out, I wonder how many series Hammond will be able to carry the show for, my guess maximum-One.
Replace Clarkson and it would be cr*p.
Right there ladies and gents is as clear a case of mass confirmation bias as you get i.e we like Jezzer, don't like the BBC, and therefore think he's the victim of a misjustice despite the absence of any available evidence to support this view.
For the record I enjoy the show myself, have read some of his books and don't really have any problem with him.
Personally I think it will be better TV onChannel 5 as they have no shame over there.
Here's a synopsis: Cockney mechanic Bernie Fineman and Canadian car dealer Mario Pacione are back to restore more
rust bucketsageing, unfunny, slow, knackered, old journalists to their former glory.If anyone else on the street were involved in numerous racist/sexist/homophobic/assault incidents they'd have been sacked years ago.
This is the same public that cry about celebrities getting away with all sorts while earning millions yet signing the petition like hypocrites.
I'll also go ahead and admit that I am, from time to time, prone to confirmation bias. Everyone is. 120,000 people backing Jezza isn't a sign of anything other than his popularity.
Top Gear hasn't been about cars for years and years (not normal one anyway), you've got chanel 5's effort for that.
Clarkson was a rich man before the current Top Gear format and I doubt he is waking up this morning looking up jobs online. On the other hand the BBC have just cancelled a big money earner, may be Call the bloody Midwife can take up the slack Sunday evening. Who needs who?
Dave's future looks bleak.
But it would be nice to know the whole story before we judge.
As a self-confessed petrolhead you'd have thought I'd have been a prime target for the show but I hated it and haven't watched an episode for around three years. So, there is certainly some opportunity there for the BBC to re-invent the car show and get back some of its lost audience.
I feel the same way about Top Gear as I do about Chelsea FC - no desire to watch them and vehemently dislike them, but have to accept they're a great side.
The other thing is the actual incident apparently took place last week, so why has it only come to light now? The only fact is hardly any of the facts are known at this time so both calls to reinstate Jezza or for him to walk are premature.