Jeremy Clarkson suspended from BBC

Sliver · 25 Mar 2015 at 15:59

VoG said:
Pretty much everything by the look of it. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/television_film_video_producer_job_description.htm

Thanks. I often wondered what they did.

CREATIVE!11 · 25 Mar 2015 at 15:59

Well top gear... without clarkson, goodnight sweet prince.

Tummy · 25 Mar 2015 at 15:59

humbug said:
For as long as they are contracted to the BBC, and they ain't going to do it without him, it wouldn't work without him anyway.

The show would 'work' without Clarkson (or any of the other presenters) however would it have success is a more pertinent question?

I'm more interested in what happens to Top Gear now Clarkson has gone, the show needed a facelift but it's a shame it happened like this.

mmj_uk · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:01

ElliorR said:
That would be quite amusing if someone like Sky bought the rights and had JC, RH and JM present it

It'd be even more amusing if this was all just a ruse for the BBC to sell off their biggest asset to a pay TV service without a massive uproar, instead of "omg how can the BBC do this to us" most people will just be grateful that Top Gear is still going.

Tummy · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:02

mmj_uk said:
It'd be even more amusing if this was all just a ruse for the BBC to sell off their biggest asset to a pay TV service without a massive uproar, instead of "omg how can the BBC do this to us" most people will just be grateful that Top Gear is still going.

I'm sure people would have no problem in paying 3x more per month that their TV license for that

.

Goksly · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:02

ElliottJames said:
It's all over, hope the producer never finds a job again.

Quoted for lols.

gjrc · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:02

as someone said. lets hope netflix snap them up.

they can re vamp the format. not have the PC HR driven nightmare that is the beeb breathing down their necks and you might end up with a show like TG was 5 years ago....

humbug · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:03

Tummy said:
The show would 'work' without Clarkson (or any of the other presenters) however would it have success is a more pertinent question?

I'm more interested in what happens to Top Gear now Clarkson has gone, the show needed a facelift but it's a shame it happened like this.

Its would just be a show about cars, no one would watch that.

Freefaller · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:05

Tummy said:
I actually disagree. I have not read anything that has placed any blame on Tymon, as there is no blame to be placed. I have no idea how you've come to the conclusion that he has handled this badly.

there was clearly a clash of personalities and from what I've read it has been brewing for a while and they did not get on with one another. Why not try and sort it out more pro actively rather that keep winding up someone like JC?

I do not quite understand the 'behaved like a girl', (which is a phrase that annoys me beyond belief anyway but I digress) is not fighting back equal femininity?

Are you another PC activist that takes offence on behalf of others? It's just an expression - like "hit like a girl". i.e. diminutive, not tough. Does this mean I regard girls as weaker and inferior to me? Of course not, it's just an expression. Heck I know many tough women who make me look like a wimp - yet they'd be the first to use those sort of expressions.

Clarkson verbally abused him and then physically assaulted him. How could you handle it differently if someone completely goes off on one and assaults you?

And from what I've heard there was some provocation and there's been a long standing disagreement between them two. The BBC should have given them another producer to avoid this thing from even happening. I'm not saying it excuses hitting someone - it doesn't - however I'm sure we've all been in a situation where our neanderthal instincts take over at one point. I know when I've done door work in the past, no matter how sober and patient you are, you can and do lose your rag.

If you take the catalyst away there won't be any problem.

As a six foot eight guy that's done a fair bit of boxing I'm not sure many people would agree to let me do this .

It's a 2-way offer

I watch Top Gear, interested to see where they go from here.

TG will cease to exist in its current guise, and I hope the 3 go to another channel as they work brilliantly together.

nicktay2605 · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:05

Freefaller said:
I have to say I am a believer of hardening up and am not a fan of excessive PC behaviour. Some of the things that JC has done was teetering on the edge of taste, but you go to ANY comedy show, and you will get things 10x worse. I don't like the BBC telling me what I should and should not be offended by.

The rhyme (heck I was taught that nursery rhyme as a child and only stopped using it when I realised what I was saying), the truckers joke, the Mexican jokes etc... I mean really? I've seen more offensive humour in an Amish town in America... What's happened to the British stiff upper lip, thick skin? Heck I'm a Johnny Foreigner and should be more sensitive to this sort of thing but I find it a riot. There is offence with intent (i.e. truly racist people, with vitriolic and aggressive xenophobic views) and then there's the contextual side of certain words and sentences which aren't meant to offend, but highlight something for the sake of humour.

However, that said, these are based on my own views/values. I do understand why these guidelines are needed in society/companies, and from a purely black and white point of view, they have made the right decision to fire him - that I cannot disagree with. It's just a shame it's come to this.

British people no longer live up to that stiff upper lip image, we're all a bunch of whiny, complaining, easily offended, entitled busy-bodies now, or at least we seem to become that once we hit a certain age. I really do wonder who actually bothers to complain about things they see on TV. Barring something being very clearly racist, sexist, or very unsuitable for the time it's being shown, I just don't think it would offend me or make me care enough to complain.

I think people need to man up a bit and learn to take a joke.

Basher · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:05

humbug said:
Its would just be a show about cars, no one would watch that.

Why would it? It could be just as humerous and just as interesting with someone else. It doesn't automatically make it just about cars ...

silversurfer · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:05

I remember old top gear, it was much more a voice over thing. Video of the car and some dude who you might recognise or not mentioning details.

Im sure BBC would prefer that. BBC should aim to make a profit on their product, stick to airing the boring stuff themselves and sell TG as a franchise uk and abroad

Whatever happened to the one on five

I think JC pulled a Christian Bale, any smart firm would handle him and transfer the producer

humbug · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:06

The PC police are out in force with this one, predictably.

humbug · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:06

Basher said:
Why would it? It could be just as humerous and just as interesting with someone else. It doesn't automatically make it just about cars ...

Like who?

scorza · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:07

Sliver said:
What does a producer actually do though ? ( don't say produce lol ). Surely everyone on set including JC, is answerable to the producer ?

My sis is a TV producer, I always think of her job as being similar to a project manager's i.e. she's responsible for delivering something, whether it be an entire TV programme or a 5 minute feature within a larger programme. A producer won't necessarily shoot the filming, but they'll have to make sure that a cameraman is on set at the right time and shoots something that an editor can use later on.

Andy Wilman is the Executive Producer for Top Gear, everyone on set is answerable to him, but they also have loads of other producers who will produce the different parts of the show.

Terminal_Boy · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:08

mmj_uk said:
It'd be even more amusing if this was all just a ruse for the BBC to sell off their biggest asset to a pay TV service without a massive uproar, instead of "omg how can the BBC do this to us" most people will just be grateful that Top Gear is still going.

I think many TV licence payers would welcome the BBC becoming PayPerView as it would mean that we no longer had to pay for it.

ubersonic · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:09

Mr Jack said:
Well, now the dust has settled, is anyone going to argue that Clarkson shouldn't be sacked?

You know what, I'll bite. I think he should have been disciplined/fined/etc but not sacked.

He was definitely guilty and should be disciplined but although sacking him was the only viable option it really shouldn't have been. We got to this point because he was on his "final warning" because people had complained about things which the BBC had signed off on and aired and then they used him as a scapegoat.

Add to that it really isn't as straightforward as some people make out, I.E this didn't happen between two employees in the middle of the office, it happened in a hotel outside of working hours. It's claimed that he verbally abused Oisin Tymon for over quarter of an hour, well you know what I would do in that situation? Back out of the confrontation and leave the damn room to diffuse the situation, especially if my charge had been drinking.

My guess would be the BBC have chosen not to renew his contract because they really don't have the grounds/ability to sack him over this. but they don't want to look weak

Lunatic Dreyfus · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:11

Some of the stuff he's said I've not liked and some I've nodded sagely too, he is what he is and a lot of people watch him. That incenses those of a certain leaning.

Trouble is you can't really expect to punch a work colleague in the chops and not get sacked. The rest of us would.

The end result for me is one less reason to watch telly. I don't have many left now.

humbug · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:11

Terminal_Boy said:
I think many TV licence payers would welcome the BBC becoming PayPerView as it would mean that we no longer had to pay for it.

+1, its all crap. like anyother TV broadcasting service the right to chose what crap an individual pays to watch should be free will.

By definition the BBC is an illegal Tax.

And it violates competition laws.

robgmun · 25 Mar 2015 at 16:12

Tummy said:
I actually disagree. I have not read anything that has placed any blame on Tymon, as there is no blame to be placed.

I fail to see how the producer is blameless, a steak and chips after a hard day of filming isn't too much to ask is it? you have to be a complete moron not to be able to get hot food ready, if you were in a tight spot you could have ordered take out! But to offer cold meat, which that 'thick as ****' face looking at me, i have no option to but to think i was looking at the stupidest idiot ever.