Jeremy Clarkson is gone from Top Gear - Opinions?

TheNacho · 25 Mar 2015, 16:45

Heyo,

as a watcher of Top Gear for many years, I am quite sad to see it end like this. If there are any other Top Gear people here, what are your opinions on what has happened and what the future might hold?

Would be interesting to hear some voices.

Thanks!

Muirium · 25 Mar 2015, 16:54

A wonderful way for him to start his political career. He's popular enough (and highly outspoken) to be UKIP leader someday, and maybe Prime Minister at the rate things are going…

I always liked the guy when I watched Top Gear back in the 1990s. It's changed a lot since then, but so have I. Not into cars, so not paying much attention to Clarkson. Besides his occasional dustup with the press.

seebart · 25 Mar 2015, 16:58

I watched it occasionally when I was living in London in the 90's. I never liked the guy. But I was never into cars either.

Muirium · 25 Mar 2015, 17:01

A lot of it is a daft bombastic character he plays, of course, but the money and fame has definitely gotten to him. He could be right off the rails now.

seebart · 25 Mar 2015, 17:02

Yeah I could see him in politics. He is a good talker. That's one trait you need in politics.

TheNacho · 25 Mar 2015, 17:18

His actions lead me to think he was looking for a way to leave the BBC, since he was the one reporting the incident in the first place. I'm not a fan of all the things he says and does, but I quite liked the show nonetheless. Comparing him to a pedophile was a bit extreme though, I think.

SL89 · 25 Mar 2015, 17:22

Good riddance, the last thing I care about is ageing boomers talking about cars that are so overdone you can't drive them anywhere. I loved Top Gear, but it has not aged well.

bhtooefr · 25 Mar 2015, 17:28

I agree that it hasn't aged well - Top Gear hasn't changed its humor or approach one iota, really, and it's gone stale.

And, seeing as it was effectively Clarkson's show... it really needed a big change.

Now, for unrelated reasons, the BBC was right to fire Clarkson, it seems. Sending your coworkers to the emergency room would get any of us fired even faster than Clarkson got fired, it shouldn't be any different for him.

In any case, sounds like James May is pretty strongly against him continuing on the show without Clarkson:

andrewjoy · 25 Mar 2015, 17:38

Its a shame that he has gone but hey what happened it was always going to go down like that, say what you want about anyone but hitting someone is going a bit far.

The show was fun to watch but i think its gone a little too far to the silly side , it is more of a character he plays but still having every piece on the show be a joke or sketch was too much more balance between factual and silly would have been better. I think it will be a package may and hammond will prob leave the show too. They will get a show on sky or ITV no problem.

It was one of the few things i watched on the bbc, one less thing now i guess, they don't even have that many factual shows anymore its all celeb rubbish and shows about teenage mothers, does that stuff not belong on ITV ?

Muirium · 25 Mar 2015, 17:55

Didn't take long…

Mal-2 · 25 Mar 2015, 21:52

I think it may be time to let the franchise go. It would be shameful to see it end up like "Two and a Half Men", and it arguably jumped the shark some time back.

Actually, there is one possibility that would intrigue me and justify putting together a new crew (or keeping two thirds of the old one): if Ronnie O'Sullivan were to retire again and need something else to do.

Julle · 25 Mar 2015, 22:28

As much as I like him as the Top Gear presenter, he did actually punch someone and got fired for it - like you should. Unless you're a fucking boxer or martial artist, of course. He should be glad the producer didn't press charges. BBC did the right thing in firing him. They shouldn't condone physical violence for such a trivial, minute thing and neither should fans of the show.

I hope they drop the show, too. It's nothing without Clarkson. The novelty of LSD-pumped Boris Johnson will wear thin quite soon.

bhtooefr · 25 Mar 2015, 23:38

Don't worry, North Yorkshire Police is on the charges thing: http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/15214

blighty · 26 Mar 2015, 15:34

andrewjoy wrote: ↑Its a shame that he has gone but hey what happened it was always going to go down like that, say what you want about anyone but hitting someone is going a bit far.

Then again, some people need their ass beat.

andrewjoy · 26 Mar 2015, 15:53

Ha i guess, when i used to play wow i wish i could hit people over the internet so i could beat the stupid out of my raid.