Jeremy Clarkson: 'Top Gear presenter is a legend and left-wing pinkos are out to get him'

Influential political blog Guido Fawkes has told IBTimes UK it is urging the BBC to reinstate Jeremy Clarkson to get back at the "left-wing pinkos" who have been out to get him for years.

The controversial Top Gear presenter has been suspended with immediate effect after allegedly punching a producer during a "fracas" over catering.

Following his suspension, Guido Fawkes set up an online petition urging for a "Freedom to Fracas" and for Clarkson to return to the BBC. The petition has proved hugely popular, attracting 250,000 signatures and even crashing the change.org website briefly.

Speaking to IBTimes UK, Guido Fawkes editor Paul Staines said of Clarkson: "He's a legend, I just like him.

"A bunch of left-wing pinkos have been out to get him for ages, and I'd hope he'd do the same for me."

The day after Clarkson was suspended, Guido Fawkes continued its 'Bring Back Clarkson' campaign with a series of articles promoting its petition and one post featuring Press Association figures explaining how the BBC "can't afford" to lose the presenter.

Clarkson has not yet issued a formal statement about his suspension, but The Sun newspaper, for whom Clarkson writes a regular column, quotes him as saying: "I'm having a nice cold pint and waiting for this to blow over."

Clarkson is also said to deny the allegations he punched one of the Top Gear producers - named as Oisin Tymon – after he "snapped" as there was no catering provided following a long day of filming in Newcastle.

The BBC has shelved the final three episodes of the Top Gear series following Clarkson's suspension, with no announcement as to when they might be broadcast.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: "Following a fracas with a BBC producer, Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended pending an investigation.

"No one else has been suspended. Top Gear will not be broadcast this Sunday [15 March]. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time."