Chris Evans speaks out against BBC's sacking of Jeremy Clarkson in GQ interview
Top Gear host Chris Evans has spoken out in defence of the show’s former led, Jeremy Clarkson, and branded the decision to sack him for the fracas as “bizarre”.
In a recent interview with GQ magazine Evans admitted that he was surprised by the BBC’s decision to fire Clarkson given the string of other high profile incidents which preceded the attack on Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon.
When questioned on the decision to fire Clarkson Evans said: “What is more fascinating is that he went for what he went for, considering what had gone on before.
“If you look at the chronology of controversy of Top Gear over the last five or six years, it is bizarre that he went for losing his rag over his dinner when there had been international incidents before that.”
During his reign as host of the show Clarkson became renowned for his outspoken and abrasive behaviour which often made headlines in the international media.
He was accused of making several xenophobic and racist comments, including calling a car manufacturer in Mexico lazy, branding Romania “Borat country, with gypsies and Russian playboys,” and using a numberplate to reference the Falklands War while in Argentina.
Clarkson is currently in the process of filming his own motoring show with Amazon Prime and recently partnered with his co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond to back a new joint venture called DriveTribe.
The new series of Top Gear, which begins at the end of May, will be led by Chris Evans and features a vast presenter lineup including former Friends star Mat LeBlanc and Eddie Jordan.