BBC Top Gear inquiry: Jeremy Clarkson and Oisin Tymon give evidence
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Version 0 of 1. Jeremy Clarkson and producer Oisin Tymon have both given their accounts of the “fracas” that led to the suspension of the Top Gear presenter. It is understood that the pair have spoken to BBC Scotland head Ken MacQuarrie who is leading the investigation into the events that took place a fortnight ago, reportedly following an altercation over hot food at a Yorkshire hotel. Both Clarkson and Tymon are thought to have had legal representatives with them as they gave their reports. It is believed that MacQuarrie and his advisers planned to compare the two accounts before moving on to speak to further witnesses. Related: Jeremy Clarkson booked to host BBC's Have I Got News For You Clarkson has been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. A spokesman for Clarkson declined to comment. A spokesman for Tymon had not responded at the time of publication. A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC’s position is the one we set out in a statement last week. We have an investigation led by director of BBC Scotland, Ken MacQuarrie, to establish the facts and people should wait for the outcome of that.” As the internal investigation gets underway in earnest the BBC has taken the decision to officially “postpone” the final episode of the series. Following Clarkson’s suspension last week, BBC bosses took the decision to “postpone” two episodes, but at the time said that no decision had been made about the final show in the series. The BBC has replaced the hit BBC2 series with a documentary about the Red Arrows aerobatics team, and two episodes of travel show Caribbean with Simon Reeve. The decision to pull Top Gear cost the BBC nearly 4 million viewers on Sunday night as a repeat of Red Arrows: Inside the Bubble pulled in just 1.3 million viewers. Top Gear typically attracts an audience of about 5 million. Related: Jeremy Clarkson: London cabs driven by foreigners smell of sick With Clarkson on suspension pressure is mounting on the BBC in regards to the status of a sell-out live show scheduled for Stavanger, Norway on 27-28 March. As many as 25,000 to 30,000 tickets have been sold to four shows across the two days, with Clarkson billed to appear. BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC that runs the annual global Top Gear Live tour, is responsible for making the decision on the fate of the Norway show in the coming days. “At present the forthcoming shows (both UK and international) are set to run as scheduled,” said a spokesman for BBC Worldwide. Live Nation, which promotes the Top Gear Live events, tweeted on Tuesday night to promote the sale of tickets to the UK events later this year saying “Join Clarkson, Hammond and May”. Join Clarkson, Hammond & May on the @TopGearLive arena tour! Tickets on sale now; tickets here http://t.co/qbIMrUqOqp pic.twitter.com/cbazbk9nGk On Friday Phil Bowdery, president of touring at Live Nation, guaranteed that the British shows of the global tour would run as planned. |