Jeremy Clarkson reportedly on the cusp of signing new £12m BBC contract despite racism controversy
Jeremy Clarkson is reportedly about to sign a new £12m deal with the BBC despite causing controversy with racist comments earlier this year.
According to the Sunday People, Clarkson and the BBC are entering into the final stages of contract negotiations which would see the presenter remain with the BBC for at least three more years, despite he himself writing in his newspaper column he was "drinking at the last chance saloon" when it comes to the BBC.
A BBC source is quoted in the newspaper as saying there was "no question" that the BBC wanted to keep Clarkson with top executives wanting to sign him up "as soon as possible".
The source adds that the BBC is "very excited that Top Gear as we know it will be with us for three more years from 2015" and that Clarkson is "loved by Top Gear viewers, not just in Britain but across the world."
Earlier this month reports suggested that director general Tony Hall saved Clarkson from tougher disciplinary action that director Danny Cohen wanted to take after an outtake of Clarkson making a racist comment was leaked.
Ofcom is also investigating comments made by the presenter during Top Gear's Burma edition in March, additional controversy was caused by Clarkson with comments he made about India's clothing, trains and food two years ago.
In 2011, he was forced to apologise to the Mexican ambassador over comments Clarkson and fellow Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and James May made about Mexicans.