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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/mar/02/bob-mortimer-top-gear-timebomb-talent-abuse-power
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| Top Gear 'timebomb': Bob Mortimer warns BBC over 'talent' | Top Gear 'timebomb': Bob Mortimer warns BBC over 'talent' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Top Gear has been attacked by the comedian Bob Mortimer, who described the BBC2 driving show as a “timebomb” and warned the corporation about “talent abusing their power”. | Top Gear has been attacked by the comedian Bob Mortimer, who described the BBC2 driving show as a “timebomb” and warned the corporation about “talent abusing their power”. |
| Mortimer runs a television production company with the executive producer who quit Top Gear last year, Lisa Clark. | Mortimer runs a television production company with the executive producer who quit Top Gear last year, Lisa Clark. |
| The comedian linked on Twitter to a story in the Sun that claimed Clark had quit due to host Chris Evans’s behaviour and tweeted: “Well, we’ll soon see if Tony Hall meant what he said about talent abusing their power at the BBC #topgeartimebomb” | The comedian linked on Twitter to a story in the Sun that claimed Clark had quit due to host Chris Evans’s behaviour and tweeted: “Well, we’ll soon see if Tony Hall meant what he said about talent abusing their power at the BBC #topgeartimebomb” |
| The BBC director general, Lord Hall, said last week in the wake of Dame Janet Smith’s review that the corporation’s attitude toward “the talent” was a “crucial” issue and that the BBC needed to be a place “where everyone feels able to speak truth to power”. | The BBC director general, Lord Hall, said last week in the wake of Dame Janet Smith’s review that the corporation’s attitude toward “the talent” was a “crucial” issue and that the BBC needed to be a place “where everyone feels able to speak truth to power”. |
| Clark left the show in December after five months, despite having worked with Evans before on The Big Breakfast. | Clark left the show in December after five months, despite having worked with Evans before on The Big Breakfast. |
| According to the Sun, when the new Top Gear lineup was revealed earlier this month, Mortimer – who formed Pett Productions with Clark and Vic Reeves in 2001 – called new Top Gear host Chris Evans a “cunt” in a now-deleted tweet. | According to the Sun, when the new Top Gear lineup was revealed earlier this month, Mortimer – who formed Pett Productions with Clark and Vic Reeves in 2001 – called new Top Gear host Chris Evans a “cunt” in a now-deleted tweet. |
| Well we'll soon see if Tony Hall meant what he said about talent abusing their power at the BBC #topgeartimebomb https://t.co/6XLm9JjONF | Well we'll soon see if Tony Hall meant what he said about talent abusing their power at the BBC #topgeartimebomb https://t.co/6XLm9JjONF |
| But the BBC has defended Evans, taking the unusual step of issuing a statement on Monday in which its acting director of television, Mark Linsey, called Evans a “consummate professional” and “a real team player”. | But the BBC has defended Evans, taking the unusual step of issuing a statement on Monday in which its acting director of television, Mark Linsey, called Evans a “consummate professional” and “a real team player”. |
| “It is rubbish to suggest Chris Evans’ behaviour on the set of Top Gear has been in any way unprofessional,” said Linsey. | “It is rubbish to suggest Chris Evans’ behaviour on the set of Top Gear has been in any way unprofessional,” said Linsey. |
| Related: BBC says claims Top Gear's Chris Evans has been unprofessional are 'rubbish' | Related: BBC says claims Top Gear's Chris Evans has been unprofessional are 'rubbish' |
| “He is a passionate presenter who commits his heart and soul into everything he does – whether his Radio 2 show, Children In Need or Top Gear – and we are extremely fortunate to have him leading the show.” | “He is a passionate presenter who commits his heart and soul into everything he does – whether his Radio 2 show, Children In Need or Top Gear – and we are extremely fortunate to have him leading the show.” |
| The Twitter row comes as it emerged that rapper Tinie Tempah is the latest star to become involved in the new Top Gear. | The Twitter row comes as it emerged that rapper Tinie Tempah is the latest star to become involved in the new Top Gear. |
| The singer has been filming with the car show’s co-host Matt LeBlanc in South Africa. | The singer has been filming with the car show’s co-host Matt LeBlanc in South Africa. |
| LeBlanc posted a picture on Twitter of Tempah, real name Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, sitting next to him and captioned it: “My co driver for a few days. Tinie Tempah going low.” | |
| My co driver for a few days. @TinieTempah goin low pic.twitter.com/ZQd55RLst4 | My co driver for a few days. @TinieTempah goin low pic.twitter.com/ZQd55RLst4 |
| It is thought the pair are carrying out a challenge in the show against Evans and the Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri. | It is thought the pair are carrying out a challenge in the show against Evans and the Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri. |
| The new series of Top Gear is due out towards the end of May and will air on Sunday nights on BBC2. If it is a hit, it may transfer to BBC1. | The new series of Top Gear is due out towards the end of May and will air on Sunday nights on BBC2. If it is a hit, it may transfer to BBC1. |