BBC dilemma as he's booked for May

BBC executives are facing a quandary after it was revealed that Jeremy Clarkson is scheduled to host an edition of Have I Got News For You.

The controversial figure has been suspended from Top Gear while an investigation is launched into the ‘fracas’ wit a producer at a Yorkshire hotel after a day’s filming.

But he has been booked to front an edition of the topical comedy show in May.

Jimmy Mulville, head of production company Hat Trick, said: ‘As far as I’m concerned, he his hosting Have I Got News For You in early May. The BBC haven’t told me what to do yet. It’ll be an interesting conversation.

‘We always have a field day with Jeremy. Maybe we will get the producer on so he can hit Jeremy Clarkson live on television.’’

Yesterday, Mulville also stepped up his rhetoric about BBC Three, which he is hoping to buy with a consortium of fellow-programme makers Avalon and Baby Cow.

He and Avalon boss Jon Thoday accused the Corporation of ‘dismantling’ the channel before its planned move to an online-only service - by switching hit shows such as Jack Whitehall’s Backchat at Russell Howard’s Good News (which is made by Avalon) to other channels.

‘They are destroying the value of BBC Three as we speak,’ Mulville said.

Published: 18 Mar 2015