There were options other than sacking him of course. However firing him does send out a behavioural message to the international masses who watch this very popular car show.
In my experience, senior managment everywhere tend to behave questionably behind the scenes as though bulletproof on occasion. You can make your own informed decision on that as time goes by. Will this make the show less popular? Of course. The humour that Clarkson injected will be very hard to replace.
The bigger picture is that you should all stfu, keep your opinion to yourselves, don't argue or question things, and just do as you're told in future.. And don't even think about raising your hand to anyone higher up the food chain, ever! Got it? Good!
Still, the same law applies to him as it does to others and I don't know many places that would keep you on if you launched your boss, colleague or co-worker down the corridor. Do you?
How he's not been charged by the Police yet, I don't know? Is it really any different to the historical sex offences committed by show biz celebrities that have surfaced recently? The likes of Jimmy Saville, Stuart Hall and Rolf Harris for example. Or was it simply just a crime of passion?
Now, this is purely my own opinion, but I think that they'll be eagerly out for more of his blood before this fiasco is considered to be well and truly over. At the very least he'll be made to publicly kowtow. Let's just wait and see shall we. :rolleyes: