Jeremy Clarkson sacked and ‘may be charged’

Jeremy Clarkson leaving his home in London earlier today. Picture: PA

JEREMY Clarkson has been sacked by the BBC for attacking a Top Gear producer and could face assault charges after police asked for a copy of the corporation’s report into the “fracas”.

North Yorkshire Police said officers are now liaising with the BBC over the incident involving Clarkson and producer Oisin Tymon.

Mr Tymon suffered a split lip and attended a local accident and emergency. The argument was over a lack of hot food following a day’s filming.

An internal investigation found Clarkson launched an “unprovoked physical and verbal attack”.

Screen grab taken from the Twitter feed of @JeremyClarkson.

The BBC report, published yesterday, said the 30-second attack was only stopped when a witness intervened and the incident was accompanied by a volley of verbal abuse so loud it could be heard throughout the hotel where the programme’s crew were staying.

The report confirmed Mr Tymon was left with a split lip. He “believed that he had lost his job” following the attack and drove himself to a “nearby A&E department for examination”.

The report said: “Verbal abuse was directed at Oisin Tymon on more than one occasion – both during the attack and subsequently inside the hotel – and contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack him.

“The abuse was at such volume as to be heard in the dining room, and the shouting was audible in a hotel bedroom.”

North Yorkshire Police said: “We have asked the BBC for the report which details the findings of their internal investigation.

The information will be assessed appropriately and action will be taken where necessary.”

BBC director-general Tony Hall said the Top Gear presenter’s attack on Mr Tymon meant that “a line has been crossed”. He added that the corporation needed “distinctive and different voices” but not “at any price”.

Mr Hall said: “Common to all at the BBC have to be standards of decency and respect. I cannot condone what has happened on this occasion.

“A member of staff, who is a completely innocent party, took himself to accident and emergency after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature.

“For me, a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations.”

Mr Tymon said: “I’ve worked on Top Gear for almost a decade, a programme I love. Over that time, Jeremy and I had a positive and successful working relationship, making some landmark projects together.

“He is a unique talent and I am well aware that many will be sorry his involvement in the show should end in this way.”

The BBC insisted that Top Gear would return next year though it is not known if Clarkson’s co-presenters James May or Richard Hammond, whose contracts are up for renewal next month, will return.