Jeremy Clarkson: 'Top Gear sacking was my own silly fault – I can hardly complain'
In his first BBC interview since his dismissal, Clarkson said he was sad to leave the corporation - but has not been 'in talks' with other broadcasters
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Your support makes all the difference.Jeremy Clarkson has given his first interview to the BBC since his dismissal two months ago after attacking a producer on the Top Gear set.
The disgraced presenter said he was sad to leave the show, which he called his “baby”, but said he had not yet entered into negotiations with other broadcasters to host another motoring programme.
He also confirmed that Top Gear fans will get a chance to see the final three episodes of the last series, which were cut following his on-set ‘fracas’.
Speaking about leaving the show, he told Chris Evans’ BBC2 Breakfast Show: “It was my own silly fault but I can hardly complain."
He said: “I was at the BBC for 27 years and did Top Gear for 12 and it was very much my baby and I worked all through the night on it, and then suddenly you’re not asked to do that anymore and then you do feel there is a big hole that needs to be filled [in your life]."
He added that he would “never complain” about the BBC, and said he was equally sad to leave the corporation as he was to leave Top Gear.
“There are some dreadful people there but there are some really talented people in it and I will never complain about it…I could go back remember, I wasn’t sacked,” he said.
The presenter joked that he, Richard Hammond and James May were set to do a new show about flower arranging, before denying he had been in talks with other broadcasters.
“I have been listening [to broadcasters] on the telephone or video conference, I haven’t had a single meeting.”
He said he had only “listened” to US broadcasters about doing a programme, but had not entered into a discussion with them.
“I’ve been at the BBC for 27 years and when you emerge you realise the world has changed and you’ve got to understand how the world works. But in the meantime I’m just getting really good at tennis,” he said.
Clarkson told Top Gear fans not to hold their breath about the three final episodes from the latest series that have yet to be shown on TV, saying “to be honest, they weren’t the strongest films we’ve ever done”.
He said the episodes were currently being edited, and would be shown on the BBC in the near future.
“If you’ve paid for the licence fee you will have a right to see them. There will be one last hurrah.”
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