If you thought Jeremy Clarkson was behind any attempts to sabotage the all-new ‘Top Gear’ - think again, because the show’s former presenter has more to lose than gain in doing so.
Jeremy - who was replaced by Chris Evans after being sacked from the BBC motoring show last year - has revealed that he’s quids in every time the show gets recommissioned.
During a talk in London, the petrol head poured water on any suggestions that he was trying to “scupper” his replacement’s chances of success.
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Jeremy Clarkson
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"What's very entertaining is that Chris Evans is having a very hard time at the moment as he attempts to put Top Gear back together again,” he said.
"It's been suggested that I am behind it, that I am trying to scupper him. But I discovered the other day that every time it gets recommissioned I get paid, so that's a curious bit of BBC contract. But I wish them all the very best."
He added that he was glad that his time on the show had come to end as he’s been forced to “reinvent” the format in a multi-million pound deal with Amazon Prime, alongside his ‘Top Gear’ co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond.
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Chris Evans
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"To be honest, I think we would have stayed at the BBC and then the show would have got tired and boring, eventually we would have piloted it into a hillside and that would have been the end,” he said.
"At the time it was all tragic but now we've been forced to reinvent ourselves and we're online, where you can do anything, like fuck a horse, it's forced all of us to actually concentrate on starting again.
"Now we're looking at losing Top Gear as a fantastic thing to happen."
During the talk, Jeremy also couldn’t resist revisiting the row with Argentina after being attacked while filming in the country for ‘Top Gear’, when he was accused of driving a car displaying offensive number plates referencing the Falklands War.
"I knew the s*** would hit the fan, they are just a bolshy bunch of war losing b*****d w *******.
"If I ever go back there again the number plate will be W3 W0N - we won. I've got no time for it."
Top Gear: The Story So Far...
25 March 2015(01 of18)
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The BBC announces Jeremy Clarkson’s contract will not be renewed, following a fracas involving a cold dinner on location, and a punched producer. "A line has been crossed," said the BBC's statement. (credit:Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
24 April 2015(02 of18)
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Richard Hammond joins James May in confirming they won't be back either, the team comes as a trio. (credit:Matt Jelonek via Getty Images)
16 June 2015(03 of18)
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The BBC reveals their Radio 2 breakfast show host Chris Evans will be leading the new team. (credit:Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
30 July 2015(04 of18)
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AmazonPrime reveals they’ve signed up Clarkson and co for an online motoring show, with a reported £10million/year package, with the series set to debut later in 2016. (credit:Matt Jelonek via Getty Images)
28 November 2015(05 of18)
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Chris Evans reveals the show's debut date of 8 May, with an eight-episode series planned. (credit:Frederick M. Brown via Getty Images)
22 December 2015(06 of18)
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‘Top Gear’ producer Lisa Clark departs the team abruptly, saying she is to "pursue other projects", but wishes the team well. (credit:Barcroft via Getty Images)
23 December 2015(07 of18)
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She is swiftly followed out of the door by script editor Tom Ford. (credit:Hirz via Getty Images)
4 February 2016(08 of18)
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Matt LeBlanc is confirmed as a fellow presenter. (credit:Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
11 February 2016(09 of18)
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Rory Reid, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris and Eddie Jordan all confirmed to join. (credit:BBC)
26 February 2016(10 of18)
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The BBC announces a fresh debut date of 22 May, with six episodes scheduled instead of eight. (credit:Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
19 January 2016(11 of18)
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BBC Two commissioner Kim Shillinglaw, who has been overseeing the relaunch of the show, announces she will be leaving her role. Due to a re-organisation at the BBC, there will be no one to replace her, meaning Chris Evans will report directly to the Controller of Channels, Jane Moore. (credit:UniversalImagesGroup via Getty Images)
10 February 2016(12 of18)
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Matt LeBlanc confirms that he has signed to a US sitcom 'I'm Not Your Friend', leading to concern that he may have stretched himself too thin for 'Top Gear' duties. (credit:NBC via Getty Images)
13 March 2016(13 of18)
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Veterans complain about the ‘Top Gear’ team filming stunts, creating donut turns and speed dust, in London’s Whitehall, with shots including footage of the country’s most revered war memorial, the Cenotaph. (credit:PA)
14 March 2016(14 of18)
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Chris Evans makes a public apology for the team’s actions, while adding, “This isn't a shoot I'm particularly involved in." And takes to wearing pyjamas to work. (credit:Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
The show receives a major boost with news that streaming service Netflix has bought rights to distribute the show internationally, thus bringing the new series to a potential 75 million subscribers. (credit:BBC)
13 April 2016(17 of18)
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The atmosphere on set is said to be “frosty” following Chris Evans’ continuing fury over the Cenotaph stunt. (credit:Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle via Getty Images)
Apart from that...(18 of18)
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It's all been smooth sailing. We wait for 22 May with bated breath. (credit:BBC)