Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson is in hot water after he allegedly punched one of the show’s producers, but now fans of the program are rallying to the support of the controversial star.
This week, the BBC announced that Clarkson would be suspended and the final two episodes of Top Gear Season 22 would be canceled after Clarkson allegedly struck an unnamed producer .
The BBC didn’t shed much light on the circumstances, announcing only: “Following a fracas with a BBC producer, Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended pending an investigation. No one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time.”
It has been a difficult few months for Jeremy Clarkson. He was caught on video uttering a racial slur, and later the show’s team was chased out of Argentina after protesters took exception to a number plate on his car that appeared to make reference to the Falklands conflict.
But now Top Gear fans are rallying to Clarkson’s support, using the Twitter hashtag #BringBackClarkson. Fans also started a petition to the BBC that garnered more than 300,000 signatures.
I’m surprised, or just haven’t seen yet, someone do this Re: @JeremyClarkson , so I did it myself. #BringBackClarkson pic.twitter.com/6TN5TGeLvn
— Dæl (@dalehay) March 10, 2015
He might be an idiot. But he’s our idiot. #BringBackClarkson pic.twitter.com/xx4rZCMS8X — Ben (@SimplyBenGenius) March 11, 2015
Controversial media personality Katie Hopkins also voiced her support for Clarkson.
Clarkson suspended by BBC. I don’t care what he said. Clarkson all the way. #TopGear #topbloke
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) March 10, 2015
@JeremyClarkson v @BBC Without him, the licence fee makes no sense whatsoever. Enough lefty lunacy. Get the man back on #topbloke #TopGear
— Katie Hopkins (@KTHopkins) March 10, 2015
Even Jeremy Clarkson’s own daughter made a very personal appeal to the BBC to take back the Top Gear host:
Oh God, BBC please take him back… He’s started cooking…
— Em Clarkson (@EmClarkson1) March 10, 2015
The petition got so much attention that the site Change.org could not handle the traffic and crashed on Tuesday night, ITV reported .
The BBC has not yet announced when or if Jeremy Clarkson could return to Top Gear .
[Photo by David Coghe/Getty Images]
