TV insider says BBC made 'straightforward mistake' by axing Jeremy Clarkson
Peter Fincham, who has worked in television for more than 50 years, believes the BBC were wrong to axe Jeremy Clarkson following a "fracas" with a Top Gear producer
A TV insider says the BBC made a mistake axing Jeremy Clarkson
(Image: Amazon Studios )
A TV industry executive believes the BBC's decision to part ways with former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson was a misstep.
Expectation TV, under the leadership of Peter Fincham, is behind some major television hits, including the Bafta triumph Alma's Not Normal. The company is also associated with the popular series Clarkson's Farm.
Clarkson's Farm follows Clarkson as he takes the reins of a 1,000-acre farm in West Oxfordshire and has garnered a considerable following amongst Amazon Prime Video subscribers. It was the 65-year-old'ssecond project on the streaming platform, after the Grand Tour, presented with Richard Hammond and James May.
The trio presented the show for six years after Jeremy was dropped from Top Gear following a "fracas" involving producer Oisin Tymon. A BBC investigation described it as an "unprovoked physical attack".
Former BBC director general Tony Hall said the corporation "cannot condone" what happened. He explained the presenter's axing was "unavoidable," the BBC reported.
Clarkson's Farm has been a hit with Amazon Prime Video fans
(Image: PA )
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Peter however, who has spent more than 50 years working in television, believes the BBC could have found a way to keep the star. He branded the decision a "straightforward mistake."
Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: "I'll say this actually - I make Clarkson's Farm, and the BBC never needed to let Jeremy Clarkson go. It was a straightforward mistake.
"They could have found ways of not letting him go. And Clarkson's Farm is the perfect Reithian show - it informs, educates and entertains in equal measure. And it's on Amazon.
"There's a wider issue here that we could talk about all afternoon, that recurring thing of talent that becomes problematically too big for the BBC and then becomes very difficult to handle. But that's as far as I'll go with that one."
The executive spent three years at the BBC, as controller of BBC One, before moving on to work as the director of television at ITV. He has now launched a podcast, Insiders: The TV Podcast with fellow executive Jimmy Mulville.
Peter Fincham believes the BBC didn't have to axe Jeremy Clarkson
(Image: Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty Images )
Looking back at his time at the BBC, Peter says he "didn't like" people weighing in however when he worked at the broadcaster. He says he's "not going to tell the people at the BBC how to do their job".
Reflecting on his BBC days, Peter mentioned he "didn't like" external opinions on his work while at the corporation, asserting that he won't be advising current BBC staff on their roles.
Jeremy, after his departure from the BBC, acknowledged that he had apologised to the producer involved in a well-publicised incident. He stated: "I want to reiterate that none of this was in any way his fault.
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"I would also like to make it clear that the abuse he has suffered since the incident is unwarranted and I am sorry too that he has had to go through that. I am pleased that this matter is now resolved. Oisin was always a creatively exciting part of Top Gear and I wish him every success with his future projects."
Top Gear meanwhile was "rested" by the BBC after former cricketer Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff was hurt in a crash at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey. He told The Sun he sustained "life-altering significant" injuries.
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