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news
Jeremy Clarkson on bike BBC News video stillJeremy Clarkson on his bike in every sense - but who should replace him?
Jeremy Clarkson’s only been out of the Top Gear job for one day – and already he’s popped up on TV riding a bike. And he’s also been offered a presenting gig – by online cycling goods retailer, Chain Reaction Cycles.
Wherever Clarkson ends up, he’ll presumably end up earning more than if he took up the Northern Ireland-based firm’s offer for him to co-host its fortnightly online magazine programme, The Hub Show, alongside existing presenter Matt Cole.
“We’ve been looking for a co-presenter who would go the extra mile and really add a punch to the show,” said the retailer’s marketing director, Neil Morris.
“I realise that he’s not always been a big fan of cycling and cyclists, but we all thought that he might be up for taking a different look at a different mode of transport, whilst moving his career up a gear.”
The company says: “If he agrees to attend, he’ll be facing questions about his interest in cycling, his empathy for cyclists and the issues he feels are most relevant to the world of cycling.”
He has been invited in for a screen test and interview next Wednesday – which is of course 1 April for anyone paying attention. Apparently his team has yet to respond about the offer.
If any of the assembled reporters pointed out that – to use his own words – someone pedaling a bike should “work harder – get a car,” it didn’t make it onto this report.
Meanwhile, Clarkson was filmed by BBC News today rolling up at his West London address on a bike, to find himself being doorstepped by the press.
The Top Gear presenter was effectively sacked by the BBC yesterday when it said it would not be renewing his contract following the well-publicised ‘fracas’ involving producer Oison Tymon.
Yesterday, BBC director-general Tony Hall described the corporation as “a broad church,” and said “our strength in many ways lies in that diversity.” He continued: “We need distinctive and different voices but they cannot come at any price.”
Hall said Tymon was “a completely innocent party” and that he “took himself to Accident and Emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature.”
The BBC has said that it will co-operate with police in their investigation of the incident, which happened in a hotel in North Yorkshire.
Hall acknowledged that the decision to let Clarkson go would “divide opinion” – much like the presenter himself, appropriately.
Throughout his time presenting Top Gear, as well as in his columns for The Sunday Times, Clarkson has regularly taken aim at people on bikes – though some might say that being talked about, even negatively, is better than not being talked about at all.
An edition of the TV show last year saw Clarkson and co-presenter James May take to the streets of London on bicycles as they came up with ideas for cycle safety films.
Many saw that as trivialising or even mocking the issue – although in the comments to our story on it, others said that as a light entertainment show, and one that takes a satirical approach, the progamme was no more than should be expected and people shouldn’t be so quick to take offence.
Elsewhere, Clarkson has shown himself to be surprisingly sympathetic to cycling – in a column for The Sunday Times several years ago, he said he would move to Copenhagen “in a heartbeat” due to the way prioritising bikes over cars had made the Danish capital such a pleasant place to live.
However, that Clarkson has given offence to people from a huge variety of backgrounds over the years is undoubted – indeed, when the latest scandal broke, several national newspapers listed example after example of times he has upset various individuals or groups.
The fact remains though that Top Gear is the BBC’s most successful show worldwide by some margin, and that it won’t be the same show without Clarkson, who one imagines will be recruited by a rival broadcaster for a programme in a similar vein.
But if the show does continue on BBC, who would you like to see replace him? Sir Chris Hoy’s into fast cars and could also fight the cyclist’s corner, while another name being championed on social media in recent days is that of Guy Martin – no slouch on two wheels, powered or otherwise.
Meanwhile there is a petition to see the Steve Coogan character Alan Partridge – someone known to have ended shows with the same “and on that bombshell …” line used by Clarkson – get the gig.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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53 comments
Martyn Ashton for top gear
I would love to see Guy Martin replace the old hat Clarkson. He has an enquiring mind and impeccable speed credentials, he is an outstanding mechanic and has already had tv experience. Plus he has a huge fan following, oh... he also rides a bike!
Me too, and Guy Martin is quite funny as well.
Amen to that!
Agreed. Be fun to see his Volvo on the track.
No thanks and not sure he has a huge following either, depends on your definition of huge though. TG is the 3 of them, you can't replace them and still call it TG, well you can but it will be in name only. So as it looks as though all will be leaving together with Andy Wilman they should just let it die.
I was amazed the beeb grew a pair and did what it should have done and sack the twat. He along with the other goons are about as funny as a turd in a swimming pool.
Hammond is so desperate to be like him that its hard to see where he ends and clarkson begins, May is just a dick. I have found the japes they have had at our expense (good old tax sorry licence fee) when they have visited various countries and insulted them, appalling.
I too would be unfazed if TG died and never hit any screen again, they are collectively the car equivalent of Keys and Gray, tossers.
Ok so you don't like Top Gear. Nor the licence fee by the sounds of things. Which is somewhat of a contradiction because Top Gear contributes significantly to the BBCs coffers due to its international syndication (largest factual TV show in the world), to the tune of £40-60million, and thereby keeps the licence fee down.
Furthermore, as I saw in a thoughtful comment elsewhere online, the whole 3 jingoistic idiots wonder round a foreign land thing is much more nuanced than it might seem at first glance. They may go with a wide variety of stereotypes but over the trip they tend to realise that these aren't at all true and that the place they are visiting is actually incredibly beautiful and its people fantastic and friendly. If that opens the eyes of the people sat watching it on the sofa who otherwise wouldn't consider foreign lands as worthwhile places, then it's worth every penny!
You really haven't a clue have you, not even read how much money it generates that covers their trips so many times over. As for the insults that's one of the things the non-pc sheep enjoyed, that and watching the pc-sheep foam at the mouth.
It was as much to do with finally being able to getting rid of one of the last people who wasn't a hand wringing pc liberal. Apart from the loss in revenue I imagine most at the BBC will be feeling rather pleased with themselves.
So nothing to do with assaulting a colleague, then? They just made that up? Or do you think he should be excused that because you find him funny?
It's an interesting issue, isn't it? Many people complain about the "one rule for us, another for the rich/powerful/celebrity" society that we live in, yet have clamoured for JC not to face the same censure that any of us would expect if we did what he did...
Loss of revenue? Loss of a tiny drop in the ocean of revenue that the BBC receives from all us UK license-fee payers.
Would love him to become a self appointed cycling evangelist, god that would piss so many people off.
Clarksons clothing has let him down there, i can't believe after all his blithering on about bikes of all types being rubbish he's ridden one. lol!
If your in need of new cycle wear consider us the new kid on the block.
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Can't see the problem with just riding gently in ordinary clothing - surely that's exactly what we hope more people will do?
I have no real interest in cars, but always found Top Gear entertaining to watch because of the presenters.
Assaulting a colleague though = gross misconduct = P45
A fitting punishment and a refreshing change would be to replace Top Gear with a cycling-based show, covering all aspects in a similarly humorous fashion.
GCN?
that frame looks too small for him
All programs that aim 100% in one direction or another are inherently boring to all but the nerdiest of gear heads. Top Gear was 50% cars, and the rest used cars and car culture as fertile grounds for entertainment - and entertain they did.
This is a sad day.
It's a sad day when people think that physical assault and intimidation is not a sackable offence
Errr, Recurs didn't actually say that.
Clearly he deserved the sack because he got it and he's not exactly crying innocent.
Personally I think the guy is an idiot BUT I also found him entertaining - and there lies his contradictory charm. I think we like to see someone poke his finger at culture and I have no doubt that many see him as a bit of a hero.
I don't like cars much and think TG probably contributes to the entitlement culture on our roads, however it was a good format and solid entertainment, though, like the presenters, getting on a bit and in need of new pastures.
Anyone got a link for the partridge petition?
Clarkson's next award will be when he is up before the beak - a criminal record. Fingers crossed.
Why don't they keep the Hamster and Captain Slow, and have guest presenters every week? It works for HIGNFY, and Clarkson has actually presented that. One week, the star in a reasonably priced car will be Clarkson
I liked the bloke, and will be sorry to see that dynamic split up, but it was wearing thin for a few years now, so it's probably a good thing it's happened.
The BBC did the right thing for a change, pity they didn't have the same balls back in the 70's when all their presenters were into kiddy fiddling!
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