Shooting oneself in the foot.

[Suff]

I know, as an occasional Top Gear watcher, that Clarkson often likes to do some filming from a local pub. If that is the case, then 3 hours to do the filming would also go with the reports that he refused a selfie with one of the public in the hotel he was staying in. He said "Not with the kind of day I've just had".

Nobody keeps helicopters waiting like that unless they are extremely high business execs who have to sort something out. They are too expensive, run on too tight schedules and have to file flight plans which might be rejected depending on what is flying around above them.

Way too much of the reports I hear, but are not in the press, are very anti Clarkson. Even most of the press are anti Clarkson. Yet it was Clarkson who phoned his boss to report the "fracas". Let us not forget that.

Everything I've read so far points to a very rough day's filming which ran to high tempers, at the end of the day, because tired and grumpy presenters were offered minimal choice in food and a take it or leave it option.

The rest, I guess, will come out after the investigation by the BBC....

[KateLMead]

He's an idiot though, and fairly aggressive with it! I would want to hear the full story of this 'fracas' before saying one way or the other, over this suspension.....

Never have been able to stand the man.

[Kaz]

Well it is all conjecture, until the facts emerge Suff - your theory as well as mine

Me neither Kate, his arrogance has always run me cold

[Suff]

Very true Kaz. I doubt we'll learn the real truth of the matter unless it goes to court. Unlikely the BBC will reveal it's internal review process and that will leave it with leaks and things overheard in the corridor and stairwells.

He doesn't get on my nerves quite as much. When I was in the army we used the same kind of language and sarcasm. It was not often nasty but certainly in your face, you get used to it and it doesn't bother you at all.

It's why I call the UK a "Pink Frilly Skirt" country today. Apparently nobody has any sense of humour, sarcasm is offensive and getting in your face to push a point is both aggressive and threatening....

When he goes on about things like the Vauxhall Vectra, I just laugh at him. Because reality is that whether or not the chassis was designed for racing, the car is one of the UK's most successful business and family cars and is really quite good for that. I like speed just as much as he does and I like fast pretty cars. However I own a diesel MPV and used to have a caravan. Because they are practical to my life.

This is something we seem to have lost in the UK. We should be able to laugh with Clarkson when we find him funny and AT him when he is being ridiculous. Working with him would be a different matter. He's from Doncaster after all. Far too close to where I was born....

[cromwell]

The BBC are showing their "commitment to impartiality" again. On todays Sunday Politics there will be three guests commenting on political happenings.

Two out of the three work for the Guardian.

The Guardian is next to bottom in the circulation table, but promoting minority views at the expense of the majority is something that's never bothered the BBC.

[Workingman]

I has crept out that Clarkson phoned Danny Cohen on the Thursday morning after the 'fracas', effectively turning himself in, and yet Cohen did not act until the following Tuesday by suspending Clarkson.

That news feeds my suspicion, from an earlier post, that the whole thing was about to be 'leaked' to the press. Whether that was going to come from the hotel's staff, the Ward family or Tymon himself remains a mystery.

The whole thing is looking a bit contrived and is not reflecting well on any of the parties involved.