Was Firing Jeremy Clarkson The Right Decision For The BBC?
There are many complaints over the firing of Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. The BBC decided that not renewing his contract was the best option after the latest incident involving a producer.
According to the Cheddar Valley Gazette, Tony Hall, the director-general for the BBC, stated that he was releasing the findings from the recent investigation. While this is not something that usually happens, there has been a large public interest in the story. Clarkson fans rallied together shortly after the BBC announced he was suspended and there would be no new Top Gear episode last Sunday. More than one million fans signed to have him reinstated.
“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.”
— Tony Hall
There are now many complaints over the decision, and fans have said they will no longer watch the program. Jeremy’s co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, are currently considering their options. When they were hired, the three came as a package and it is highly likely that the two will decide to leave the show after this decision.
The Huffington Post reports that Clarkson took to Twitter to thank his fans for the support. He is clearly not happy with the decision, either. He later ranted about the decision, saying that the BBC had ruined Top Gear.
However, there are some people who agree with the decision. Some fans of the show and some people who do not like the host have said that he was given enough chances. If it was anybody else, they would have been fired a long time ago. Jeremy regularly makes the news for his views, comments and actions — many of those are results of acting before thinking. This latest one is viewed as the final straw, and he gave the BBC no choice but to suspend and later fire him.
The last 12 months seems to have been the worst for the car fanatic. He was attacked for his use of a racist slur while reciting a children’s rhyme, which he later apologized for using. Even then, he was warned that he was close to being fired. He announced that the BBC had threatened with being sacked if he said anything else offensive. That clearly went for actions as well as words.
There are plenty of fans who will few this as the end of the BBC. Top Gear was one of the most popular TV programs on the network, and Clarkson, May and Hammond all helped to make it the show it is today. Hall admits that he has his work cut out for him in 2016, but stands by his decision to fire Jeremy Clarkson.
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