TOP Gear host Jeremy Clarkson was suspended yesterday after allegedly punching a producer.

The controversial television star was involved in the alleged bust-up with Oisin Tymon, said to have taken place after filming in Newcastle and over a lack of catering, according to reports.Yesterday he was said to have been suspended “following a fracas”.Speaking for the first time after the suspension, he told the Sun: “I’m having a nice cold pint and waiting for this to blow over.” As thousands of people sign a petition to reinstate Clarkson, he joked around with his fellow presenters Richard Hammond and James May on Twitter. Referring to the announced cancellation of this weekend’s show, May tweeted: “No Top Gear this weekend, apparently. How about 633 Squadron instead? @JeremyClarkson @RichardHammond” To which Hammond replied:”No, surely, Last of the Summer Wine; no one will notice the difference. Job done. @MrJamesMay @JeremyClarkson” Clarkson then replied: “No no no. Where Eagles Dare. Much better,” before saying: “I did some pretty good war documentaries. They could screen one of those.” This comes as the BBC investigate reports that Clarkson allegedly aimed a punch at a male producer in an incident last week.

Just last month the Top Gear host posted a mystery tweet apparently calling for a “new presenter for Top Gear”.He tweeted: “Wanted: new presenter for Top Gear. Applicant should be old, badly dressed and pedantic but capable of getting to work on time.”His last tweets were on Sunday, when he wrote: “It’s an old skool Top Gear tonight. Nobody falls over and no-one is fired by canon into a hospital. I’d watch something else frankly.” The Top Gear host was reportedly suspended for allegedly aiming a punch at a male producer last week, according to Radio Times. The alleged incident was said to have been reported to the corporation yesterday. It is believed that Clarkson, 54, was put on what was called his final warning last year. It came following a racism row over claims he used the n-word while reciting the nursery rhyme Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe during filming of Top Gear.

NATIONAL –Clarkson returning home on the day the BBC announced his suspension

The presenter denied using racist language and said he was “horrified” that it could have sounded as though he did.Shortly after the incident, he wrote in his column in The Sun: “I’ve been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked.”Clarkson had previously been cleared by Ofcom of breaching the broadcasting code after he compared a car to a person with a growth on their face.He also faced protest from mental health charities after he branded people who throw themselves under trains as “selfish”. In another incident, Clarkson made an apology after telling BBC1’s The One Show that striking workers should be shot. Clarkson first started hosting Top Gear in 2002 alongside Richard Hammond and James May. The hit series faced controversy last year when Clarkson and his co-hosts were hounded out of Argentina by outraging locals. The controversy began after Clarkson was spotted driving a vehicle with the numberplate ‘H982 FKL’ – which some people suggested could refer to the Falklands conflict of 1982. However, each episode of the two-part Christmas special attracted more than 10 million viewers last year.

GETTY –Richard Hammond, James May and Clarkson

The planned instalment of the popular car show will not be broadcast this Sunday, a spokeswoman for the BBC confirmed.The spokeswoman 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. The BBC will be making no further comment at this time.” This Sunday’s episode was set to feature classic cars such as a Fiat 124 Spider, an MGB GT and a Peugeot 304 Cabriolet. It was also set to star former football star Gary Lineker in the show’s traditional ‘star in a reasonably priced car’ challenge. Lineker tweeted shortly after the announcement of Clarkson’s suspension, saying: “I don’t think I’m ever meant to appear on Top Gear!”