The BBC’s hit TV show, Top Gear, is one of the best car shows… in the world. It is so popular, it's inspired other regional adaptations across the globe, including USA's own Top Gear America. Some say... that modern YouTube channels and other car shows are essentially modeled after its popular format. The current format of Top Gear was introduced in 2002 with the three original hosts — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe with Andy Wilman as the producer. The second season saw Dawe being dropped in favor of James May, and the team then went on to create automotive television history.
The Top Gear trio have a knack for ruffling feathers, and causing controversies, even when unintended. Jeremy Clarkson’s tongue-in-cheek humor can be something of an acquired taste, and several people aren't fond of the subtle hints of racism many of his jokes carry. However, in 2015, Top Gear was updated with a new panel of hosts that caused quite a stir around the globe. We can now reveal the real reason for the BBC to revamp the show entirely and why Jeremy Clarkson left the show.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2022: We've updated this article with recent information regarding Jeremy Clarkson's exit from Top Gear and the BBC, and subsequent involvement with Amazon and The Grand Tour series.
The Many Controversies Around Top Gear
Jeremy Clarkson has always been a person closely associated with multiple controversies over his career. In 2004, he had a physical altercation with a TV personality, where Clarkson punched Piers Morgan (admittedly in his wife's defence) and was then escorted out by security during a BBC Press Award ceremony.
Clarkson and his Top Gear co-hosts were also a part of the major outrage following comments that were deemed to be insulting towards Mexicans during the show's 'News' segment discussing the Mastretta sports car.
In 2014, Clarkson was caught on air saying the N-word under his breath reciting the nursery rhyme “eeny, meeny, miny, mo” in his comparison test between the Toyota GT 86 and the Subaru BRZ. When this clip was published by the Daily Mirror, there was widespread outrage, and some demanded the BBC take swift action. However, at this point, the BBC decided to give Clarkson another chance following an apology.
While filming a special episode in Burma, in a scene where Clarkson commented that the bridge he was looking at had “a slope on it”. The word "Slope" is a racists slur for Asian people. This incident also caused outrage online.
In the trio's final season at the show, the Patagonia Special made headlines for the wrong reasons as well. However, it was reported that Clarkson was found to be at no fault for creating the issue that forced the entire production team to flee Argentina for their lives.
Clarkson’s offensive comments both on and off the air over the years made the BBC question whether Clarkson should continue to host the show. However, the 'Fracas' seemed to be the final straw for the BBC.
Jeremy Clarkson’s Infamous 'Fracas'
Thu nhận
Giới thiệu tóm tắt | Đoạn giới thiệu Top Gear Series 9 |
Sê -ri (Định dạng 2002) | 2016+Series 9 | Series 10 |
Series 11 Series 12 | Series 13 | Series 14 | Series 15 | Series 16 | Series 17 | Series 18 | Series 19 | Series 20 | Series 21 | Series 22 |