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| Fans Petition BBC to Reinstate ‘Top Gear’ Host Jeremy Clarkson | Fans Petition BBC to Reinstate ‘Top Gear’ Host Jeremy Clarkson |
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| LONDON — A day after the BBC suspended Jeremy Clarkson, the host of the globally viewed car program “Top Gear,” because of a “fracas” with a producer, hundreds of thousands of fans rallied to his defense on Wednesday in an online petition seeking his reinstatement. | |
| By Thursday morning, about 660,000 signatories had expressed support for Mr. Clarkson, who has built a boisterously macho image on the twin pillars of devotion to the internal combustion engine — particularly those that power supercars — and political incorrectness that has frequently brought complaints of racism. | |
| The petition was opened on Tuesday night by a politically conservative blogger, Paul Staines, who calls himself Guido Fawkes. The post called for “freedom to fracas.” | The petition was opened on Tuesday night by a politically conservative blogger, Paul Staines, who calls himself Guido Fawkes. The post called for “freedom to fracas.” |
| The BBC reported on Wednesday that the next two episodes of “Top Gear,” which is broadcast on Sunday evenings in Britain, had been pulled while the events leading to the suspension were investigated. A third episode ending the current season was also unlikely to be shown, the BBC said. | The BBC reported on Wednesday that the next two episodes of “Top Gear,” which is broadcast on Sunday evenings in Britain, had been pulled while the events leading to the suspension were investigated. A third episode ending the current season was also unlikely to be shown, the BBC said. |
| Details of the events that led to Mr. Clarkson’s suspension remained murky. British news reports said he had been accused of throwing a punch at a producer in a dispute over catering. | Details of the events that led to Mr. Clarkson’s suspension remained murky. British news reports said he had been accused of throwing a punch at a producer in a dispute over catering. |
| The Sun newspaper, for which Mr. Clarkson writes a column, quoted an unidentified person as saying that he denied hitting anybody. | The Sun newspaper, for which Mr. Clarkson writes a column, quoted an unidentified person as saying that he denied hitting anybody. |
| His suspension left the BBC caught between the commercial advantages of Mr. Clarkson’s weekly show, which is one of its top earners from global sales, watched by about 350 million viewers in 170 countries, and a desire to avoid reputational damage from his reported behavior. | His suspension left the BBC caught between the commercial advantages of Mr. Clarkson’s weekly show, which is one of its top earners from global sales, watched by about 350 million viewers in 170 countries, and a desire to avoid reputational damage from his reported behavior. |
| Last year, the host was given a “final warning” after he was accused of using a racist word during filming. | Last year, the host was given a “final warning” after he was accused of using a racist word during filming. |
| The decision to postpone the next two segments of “Top Gear” also raised the question of the BBC’s responsibility to viewers who pay a mandatory license fee to finance the public broadcaster. | The decision to postpone the next two segments of “Top Gear” also raised the question of the BBC’s responsibility to viewers who pay a mandatory license fee to finance the public broadcaster. |
| Mr. Clarkson on Wednesday reshared a post on Twitter that asked, “how can @BBC not show the remaining episodes of Top Gear, cant this be resolved without making the fans suffer.” | Mr. Clarkson on Wednesday reshared a post on Twitter that asked, “how can @BBC not show the remaining episodes of Top Gear, cant this be resolved without making the fans suffer.” |
| Mr. Clarkson, 54, is one of three hosts, along with James May and Richard Hammond. Mr. May sought to play down the dispute on Wednesday, telling reporters that Mr. Clarkson had been “involved in a bit of a dust-up, and I don’t think it’s that serious.” | Mr. Clarkson, 54, is one of three hosts, along with James May and Richard Hammond. Mr. May sought to play down the dispute on Wednesday, telling reporters that Mr. Clarkson had been “involved in a bit of a dust-up, and I don’t think it’s that serious.” |
| Mr. Clarkson has previously been at the center of disputes, often relating to racial stereotyping, in India, Mexico and other countries. Last year, the crew fled Argentina during the filming of an episode in which Mr. Clarkson drove a Porsche sports car with the license plate H982 FKL, which some took as a reference to the British victory over Argentina in the 1982 Falklands war. | Mr. Clarkson has previously been at the center of disputes, often relating to racial stereotyping, in India, Mexico and other countries. Last year, the crew fled Argentina during the filming of an episode in which Mr. Clarkson drove a Porsche sports car with the license plate H982 FKL, which some took as a reference to the British victory over Argentina in the 1982 Falklands war. |
| In May 2014, in footage not intended for broadcast, Mr. Clarkson seemed to use a racist term while reciting the “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” rhyme. He denied uttering an offensive word but acknowledged “that it sounds like I did.” | In May 2014, in footage not intended for broadcast, Mr. Clarkson seemed to use a racist term while reciting the “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” rhyme. He denied uttering an offensive word but acknowledged “that it sounds like I did.” |