'Top Gear' host Jeremy Clarkson allegedly punched a producer because he was served cold cheese instead of a steak
The "Top Gear" host was not happy with the selection of cold meats and cheese he was served after a day of shooting, The Mirror reports.
Clarkson told "Top Gear" producer Oisin Tymon that he wanted an "8oz sirloin steak with fondant potatoes, pan-fried wild mushrooms, grilled cherry tomatoes and peppercorn sauce," according to The Telegraph.
The presenter reportedly lashed out after the 36-year-old producer informed him that the kitchen was closed. A cold platter of meat and cheese was served instead.
A source told The Telegraph that Clarkson, now suspended by the BBC, had been drinking rose wine when the scuffle took place.
The incident happened a week ago at the Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dale, in the north of England, a receptionist at Simonstone confirmed to Business Insider.
It was about 10 p.m. and the chef had already gone home, according to a witness quoted by the Mirror. The general manager of the hotel eventually had to cook a hot meal for Clarkson and the other presenters of "Top Gear," James May and Richard Hammond.
In a statement, the BBC said the next episode of "Top Gear," set to be broadcast on March 15, will not be aired, and there are rumours that the entire rest of the season will be dropped.
After the news went public, Clarkson admitted to the row with the producer, and according a witness who spoke to the Mirror, "he apologised the following day."
The BBC is facing huge pressure over whether they should sack Clarkson or not. "Top Gear" is one of the most successful shows at the corporation, and it is watched, on average, by 350 million people worldwide every week. According to CityAM, the British audience is about 5 million viewers per week.
The Financial Times wrote that Clarkson is the BBC's highest paid presenter, and that the show pulls in about £20 million in revenues. The Telegraph says the figure is much higher, at about £150 million.
Although Clarkson is a global star, he is already despised by many in his home country for offending ethnic minorities and politicians.
But there are some people who see Clarkson as a bastion of free speech. A petition to save Clarkson's career has reached 690,000 signatures on Change.org.