A letter summoning Jeremy Clarkson to a disciplinary meeting that will determine his future at the BBC is being sent out to the Top Gear star today.
The motoring show presenter, who has been suspended following a “fracas” with a producer over the lack of hot food at a Yorkshire hotel, will appear before a panel led by the head of BBC Scotland Ken MacQuarrie.
The £185,000 a year executive oversaw the enquiry into the botched Newsnight investigation that falsely accused the late Conservative peer Lord McAlpine of involvement in a child abuse scandal.
He will be assisted by barrister Orla Tierney, who joined the BBC earlier this year with the title of “human resources director, employee relations and reward,” according to the Radio Times.
Meanwhile broadcaster Louis Theroux revealed that his series of documentaries about mental hospitals and transgender children in America has been given a Sunday evening schedule slot “a little earlier than we were expecting” following the shelving of the remaining episodes of the current series of Top Gear. The first documentary is being shown on March 22.
Theroux said in a Facebook blog: “I think the change of plans has something to do with Jeremy Clarkson’s ‘fracas’ with his producer, not that it really matters.”
Nick Clegg said the decision over the future of Clarkson, who last night attended Chelsea’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge, was for BBC bosses alone.
The Deputy Prime Minister told LBC: “The guy’s obviously incredibly popular and the show that he does provides entertainment to millions of people, but who is responsible for determining whether he carries on or not is his employers.
“I don’t know what happened in this cold/hot meal fracas. I don’t know what happened. A punch-up is apparently what happened.”
He added: “He is an employee of the BBC, they are his boss and so if they think he has done something wrong ... then it is for them to decide.”
Asked if he enjoyed the show, Mr Clegg replied: “I quite like it, yes. It makes me laugh.”
Ukip leader Nigel Farage told LBC: “I’m quite certain that if, as Ukip party leader, I punched one of our officials, I think I would be in considerable hot water.
“I do enjoy Top Gear, it’s very entertaining. Deliberately provocative and controversial and whenever I sit down and watch it I always laugh.”
Asked if he could replace Clarkson, he replied: “It’s a lovely idea.”
