Top Gear producer Andy Wilman has denied reports that he has quit the hit show in the wake of Jeremy Clarkson's sacking.
An email he sent to Top Gear staff congratulating them on making “one of the most iconic programmes in TV history” was published yesterday and widely reported as a resignation statement.
In it, he said: “Our stint as guardians of Top Gear was a good one, but we were only part of the show’s history, not the whole of it. Those two words are bigger than us.”
But today Mr Wilman, whose friendship with Clarkson dates back to their school days, said the email was "not a resignation statement, and nor was it meant for public consumption".
He said: “It was a private note of thanks to 113 people who have worked on the show over the years, but clearly one of those 113 is a bit of a tit, because they shared it with a website.
“I don’t get this modern obsession with sharing, linking, forwarding, retweeting; whatever happened to a private moment?
“And if I were to resign, I wouldn’t do it publicly, I’d do it old school by handing in my, er, notice, to someone upstairs in HR. I work behind the camera and I wouldn’t presume for one moment to think people are interested in what I do. Now, everyone back to work.”
A spokeswoman for the show said: “Andy’s email was intended as a heartfelt message to people who had worked with him and Jeremy, to recognise the fact that with Jeremy leaving it was the end of an era.
“It was not a farewell but a thank you to people who have been important to the show over the last 12 years. It was bringing down the curtain on the Clarkson era, not announcing his own departure.”
Contracts
The future of the show's other two presenters — Richard Hammond and James May — is unclear, with both men's contracts running out today.
All three were scheduled to appear at a Top Gear live event in Sydney scheduled for April 18.
Contract discussions with the show's stars were put on hold while the BBC suspended Clarkson when it emerged he had been involved in what was initially described as "a fracas" with producer Oisin Tymon and it has been reported that all three men will leave the show.
Police are still investigating threats to kill BBC director-general Tony Hall, reportedly linked to his decision to axe Clarkson.
Scotland Yard confirmed it was looking into allegations made when Mr Hall confirmed he would not be renewing Clarkson's contract because of his unprovoked attack on Mr Tymon at a North Yorkshire hotel.
The Mail on Sunday reported that the director-general and wife Cynthia had been under 24-hour guard since the threat was received.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Police in Westminster are investigating an allegation of threats to kill. The allegation was reported to police on Wednesday March 25. Inquiries continue. No arrests have been made.”
Mr Hall, former chief executive of the Royal Opera House, took over the #450,000 BBC post in April 2013 to replace George Entwistle, who left the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
Last Wednesday, he announced that Clarkson, a popular but divisive figure during his time at the hugely successful BBC2 motoring show, would not be retained, saying ”a line has been crossed” and ”there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another”.
Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second assault on March 4 and took himself to hospital with his injuries. He was also shouted at by the former Top Gear presenter in a torrent of verbal abuse.
Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended on March 10.