Police look into Clarkson's attack

Jeremy Clarkson. Photo / AP

Jeremy Clarkson is facing a possible criminal investigation after North Yorkshire police asked to see the findings of the BBC's internal investigation.

The 54-year-old presenter was sacked after the corporation concluded that he launched an unprovoked physical attack on Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon at a hotel near Hawes.

Police in North Yorkshire confirmed they would be assessing the allegations contained in the corporation's official report into the incident.

According to the BBC, Tymon was subjected to a 30-second physical attack at the Simonstone Hall Hotel which ended only when a witness intervened.

The findings went on to claim that Tymon was left with a split lip and drove himself to a local hospital for treatment.

He did not make a complaint to the police at the time. Clarkson later reported himself to BBC management over the incident.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire police said: "North Yorkshire Police is liaising with the BBC regarding the alleged incident in North Yorkshire involving Jeremy Clarkson.

"We have asked the BBC for the report which details the findings of their internal investigation into the matter.

"The information will be assessed appropriately and action will be taken by North Yorkshire Police where necessary."

The alleged assault took place on the patio area of the hotel on March 4. The team were on a location shoot there, after travelling from an earlier studio recording of Top Gear which had taken place in Surrey.

It was claimed Clarkson became angry when he was told he could not have steak and chips because the hotel had stopped serving hot food.

James May has hinted that he may not continue to present Top Gear following Clarkson's dismissal from the BBC.

The co-presenter said he was sure the show would continue "in some way", but would not give a definitive answer when asked if he would continue to present the show.

"I don't want to talk about that too much.

"I think we're very much the three of us as a package. It works for very complicated reasons that a lot of people don't fully understand.

"So that will require a lot of careful thought," he told Sky News.

May said he did not know who would replace Clarkson on the hit BBC2 show and had no preference about who the new lead host should be.

"Much as I think he's a knob, I quite like working with Jeremy," he said.

Fellow presenter Richard Hammond said in a cryptic tweet: "We're all three of us idiots in our different ways but it's been an incredible ride together."

- Telegraph Group Ltd, Independent