Dismissal Of Top Gear Host Leads To BBC Director General Allegedly Receiving Death Threats

Emotions have been running at an all-time high regarding the suspension, and ultimate termination, of Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. However, it seems someone has taken Clarkson’s firing personally and has threatened the life of Tony Hall, the Director General of the BBC.

Just hours after the difficult decision was made to not renew Jeremy Clarkson’s contract with Top Gear, the BBC allegedly received an email with threats of intent to kill. NBC reports that London’s Metropolitan Police Department issued a statement, saying as follows.

“The threat was made by email… Enquiries continue to establish from where the email was sent, although the content of the message suggests from outside the U.K.”

When Top Gear fans heard the results of the BBC’s investigation into Clarkson’s row with his producer, the response was on a global scale, with many people taking to social media to voice their opinions and issue mocking threats against Oisin Tymon, Clarkson’s producer, and Lord Hall, but nothing was taken seriously until the alleged email.

The Guardian reports that the BBC’s head of security took the threats quite seriously. A team of eight ex-Special Forces members was put together to protect Lord Hall and his family in Oxfordshire. The security staff has been divided into those who would be a visible show of security, while the rest of the team is playing a more low key role.

The whole ordeal started earlier this month when Clarkson, after a long day of shooting an episode of Top Gear, became belligerent and verbally abusive towards his producer over receiving a dinner that wasn’t to his liking. Words were exchanged, with the end results being Oisin Tymon lip on the receiving end of Clarkson’s fist. The Top Gear producer was taken to the emergency room, where he was treated for a split lip.

At this time, Oisin has expressed the desire to not file charges against Clarkson. Yet, the assault is still under investigation by police, and as reported by the Inquisitr, Clarkson could still be charged and prosecuted for the scuffle, even without Oisin moving forward with a complaint.

There is no indication that there is any connection between the threats and former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. All parties involved seem quite ready to put everything behind and move on with the upcoming live shows, as planned. Those who have purchased tickets for the Top Gear Live shows can be certain to see Clarkson, Hammond, and Mays together, but as far as the actual show goes, its fate remains undecided.

[Image courtesy of the Sun U.K.]