Jeremy Clarkson

"A petition to have Clarkson reinstated by the BBC currently has well over half a million signatures – more than the number of all political party members combined. In 2008, 50,000 people presented a petition to Number 10 calling for Clarkson to be made Prime Minister and, according to YouGov, he is more popular than either Nick Clegg or Nigel Farage among first-time voters."

That's what happens when you let your kids and grandkids watch Top Gear.
Rather frightening, isn't it?

You simply cannot trust the judgement of 17 year old male drivers, however much we might like to hope that we can. They are in thrall to their biology. They are known to be high risk. They need sound influences and guidance about what driving means - not the crass juvenility of Clarkson.

But the PAC, in the form of Margaret Hodge, is having a good try at firing one of the directors.
I notice that Michael Gove is backing Clarkson now.

We dont have the power to hire and fire though dj.

"The difficult issue is what the BBC are going to do about it."?

We are the BBC. If it wasn't for us paying the licence fee, there would be no BBC.

If a "lesser mortal" punches his producer[assuming he has]. I dont think he or she would be very welcome on any channel.
It doesnt look good on one's cv.

I don't think they do hero worship them, Ana. Clarkson is an old man in their eyes. Hammond is probably regarded as a bit cool but it's the humour they like.

He laughs at the antics.

I don't think he hero worships anyone either.

My nine year old grandson isn't driving yet.

I'd be more worried about the younger grandchildren watching TG and possibly hero-worshipping the presenters.

rosequartz I have one grandson who drives and one having lessons. Like any parent/grandparent I worry and hope they stay safe but I think good sense will be more likely to protect them than not being allowed to watch a programme on the telly.

You have to trust their judgement. It's part of letting them grow up.

Many people are injured and damaged in many ways. Jeremy Clarkson is not responsible for all the evils of this world. I think this thread has moved far away from the OP. Yes he's tactless, yes most of you don't like him but the difficult issue is what the BBC is going to do about it.

Loopy - your experiences sound much like mine. Once you have mopped up the relatives of young men who thought driving fast was fun, as they sit by the bed watching their unconscious unrecognisable child, you have no patience at all for the likes of Clarkson. Head injuries are common in road accidents and wreck lives. Idiots like Clarkson encourage the view that cars are toys - they are not. They are a means of getting from A to B. Children who watch the programme do not suffer a "damaged childhood", but they absorb attitudes that make them more at risk when they become young drivers.

If only you could have met the beautiful highly intelligent teenage girl I worked with. She admitted that she just drove too fast and she paid the price - she will never be able to speak again, and has to communicate with an electronic writer round her neck. She feels isolated from her peers and her social life and confidence are gone. And she is one of the lucky ones - she can walk, and is continent, and can remember what day it is.

No - I have no time for Clarkson. Let us hope I never have to glimpse him on the box again.

Australian drink driving rules are stricter than the UK and I think if JC was seen driving along with a 'tinnie' in his hand he would have had short shrift from any police officer - who I doubt would have been impressed by his celebrity.

Are all the DGC mentioned in above posts drivers? Or about to become drivers?

mg- my grand-kids watch too- and they have also survived ;)

Yes, I did quite like that last quote!

Noel Edmonds - who is responsible for such broadcasting masterpieces as "Noel's House Party" (not forgetting Mr Blobby) and, worse still, "Deal or No Deal"- weighs in to have a go at the BBC for "failing appallingly to to give Clarkson the support that such a mercurial talent requires".

Of course Noel Edmonds' enthusiasm for giving the BBC a kicking would have nothing to do with the fact, as stated in the article, that:

"In March, Edmonds revealed that he and a group of investors wanted to buy the corporation and run it as a private enterprise, saying that a renewal of the licence fee agreement would be “as futile as giving medicine to a corpse”.

I'll bet some GNrs would love to see Angela Ripon back.

I don't think JC "glorifies" speeding; I think he argues against some speed limits on some roads in some circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCLCmOIJLto

The Beeb spotted a winner and soon ditched Angela Rippon.

Somehow my well mannered, talented, hard working DGCs who are a credit to their parents are not suffering a damaged childhood due to being allowed to watch TG.

How have we managed to get away with it?

Jingle: Maybe. But I'll bet those head injuries and the like you used to nurse go back a darned sight further than 2002.

This is totally irrelevant- my accident was in 1970. But we are talking about someone glorifying speeding since 2002 and indeed now- and the use of mobiles whilst driving (at speed) etc. I'm sure some people sped with their horse and carts (Ben Hurr)- but how is it relevant here?

Merlot, again I am sorry if you saw my post as 'judgement'- but if someone makes statements on a Forum, it is only fair to expect that some will disagree or counter.

Ana

Never mind.

My post of 19:25:12 was in response to jendurham's post previously.

I thught the comment about JC 'losing his looks' was funny jingl because the article was written by a friend of his, and it was obviously meant to be tongue-in-cheek.