Jeremy Clarkson: The Stig says Top Gear would be 'damaged goods' without suspended host

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Kelly Rissman

US News Reporter

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Top Gear’s original Stig has voiced his unwavering support for suspended host Jeremy Clarkson, insisting that the BBC motoring show would be “damaged goods” without him.

Racing driver Perry McCarthy, who starred as the mysterious helmeted test-driver in the first two series of Top Gear, believes the programme would lose viewers and not be nearly as enjoyable.

“I think Jeremy is bigger than Top Gear, I really do,” he told Good Morning Britain. “That’s my personal opinion. If Top Gear were to go on without him, it wouldn’t be as valuable, it wouldn’t be as enjoyable and who’d want to see it without Jeremy? I wouldn’t.”

Clarkson is being investigated after a “fracas” with a producer was reported to the BBC earlier this week. Remaining episodes in the current series of Top Gear have been cancelled and more than 700,000 fans have signed an online petition demanding that the controversial presenter is reinstated.

McCarthy added that he always found Clarkson to be “just great fun” and “up for a bit of banter”. “I always think of Jeremy as just being mischievous,” he said.

“He’s looking for a reaction and will pull your chain, there’s no question about it, but I like the bloke and I always found him very professional and creative.”

Clarkson has been joking about his suspension since news of it broke on Tuesday afternoon, telling reporters that he was “just off to the job centre” and heading to the Chelsea match last night.

Both Prime Minister David Cameron and BBC director general Lord Hall have come out in favour of the 54-year-old, despite the latter confirming that “a serious thing is alleged to have taken place”.

BBC executive Ken MacQuarrie, who oversaw the Newsnight McAlpine inquiry, will chair the disciplinary panel that will decide Clarkson’s fate with the broadcaster. A verdict is not expected before the weekend.