Jeremy Clarkson sacking was 'bizarre', says Chris Evans

The BBC suspended and then sacked Mr Clarkson from Top Gear after he punched the show's producer Oisin Tymon

New Top Gear host Chris Evans has said it is 'bizarre' that Jeremy Clarkson was fired for 'losing his rag over his dinner' after surviving several prior international incidents unscathed (PA)

The new host of Top Gear has said the circumstances of Jeremy Clarkson's sacking was "bizzare", as he already survived several controversies.

The BBC suspended and then sacked Mr Clarkson from the hit TV show after he punched Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon. The incident occurred after Clarkson was told there was no hot food available after a day of filming.

Asked whether Mr Clarkson deserved to be dismissed, new host, Chris Evans told GQ magazine: “What is more fascinating is that he went for what he went for, considering what had gone on before.

“If you look at the chronology of controversy of Top Gear over the last five or six years, it is bizarre that he went for losing his rag over his dinner when there had been international incidents before that.”

Mr Clarkson was accused of making several xenophobic and racist comments during his career as a Top Gear host, having suggested that a car manufactured in Mexico would be lazy, and calling Romania “Borat country, with gypsies and Russian playboys”.

He also caused outrage in Argentina after driving a car with the number plate H982 FKL, which many believed was a reference to the Falklands War.

Evans said Clarkson remains his hero, although the two have not met in some time. He said: “We used to get on. I don't know if we still get on because I haven't seen him in ages. But he is one of my heroes. He's entertaining. He was great on Top Gear and I love his writing.”

The new Top Gear host, who will make his debut when the show airs in May, also brushed off the idea that the show's line-up of presenters is an attempt at being “politically correct”.

Evans said: “Some people want to infer that, but no. I hired the people I thought we needed. My job is to present and when they signed me up, they said do what you want with it.”