Advertisement

Clarkson's Cancer Scare Before Top Gear Assault

Jeremy Clarkson has said he was told he "probably" had cancer two days before he launched an unprovoked attack on Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon - although he has since received the all-clear.

And the 55-year-old revealed he became so focused on his work following the break-up of his marriage and the death of his mother that he was unable to concentrate on anything else.

Writing in his column for the Sunday Times, he said: "It was beyond-belief stressful, everything was going wrong, and then you know... there you go.

"But everybody has stressful days, and they manage to cope better than I did."

The outspoken presenter was suspended by the BBC last month for attacking Mr Tymon, splitting his lip and verbally abusing him in a 30-second assault on 4 March.

After 12 years, Clarkson's contract was not renewed, with director general Tony Hall saying at the time "a line has been crossed" and "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another".

He revealed his pain at leaving Top Gear, which draws more than 250 million viewers around the world, but said he would "pick up the pieces and start again".

"I have lost my baby but I shall create another," Clarkson wrote in his column.

"I don't know who the other parent will be or what the baby will look like, but I cannot sit around any more organising my photograph albums."

He said he had considered giving up his career in TV, but decided: "I just know I'm going to do another car show."

The remaining episodes of the latest Top Gear series were cancelled after Clarkson's suspension and a string of live motoring shows around the world were dropped.

The future of the TV show has remained unclear since Clarkson's exit.