A Russian Armed Forces television channel has reportedly offered to give Jeremy Clarkson a job fronting a Top Gear style show.

In an open letter published in English, Defence Ministry-run channel Zvezda wrote: “The Russian Armed Forces Broadcasting Company Zvezda expresses deep honour to you and kindly asks for cooperation.

“We would like to invite you to be a presenter of motoring show on our TV channel in Moscow … We would like to discuss all the details in person so we invite you to visit Moscow at the beginning of April.”

The channel also ran a comment supposedly given over the telephone from a spokesman for Clarkson named Daniel Rix, saying: “[Clarkson] will reply. I cannot reply on his behalf.”

It later ran an email from Rix saying: “I can only imagine what an episode of Russian Top Gear would look like.”



“It could feature a tzar in a reasonably priced car!”

While Zveda’s letter seems a seem a little hopeful, Clarkson may take it more seriously than another offer made this week from Chain Reaction Cycles, suggesting he co-present the company’s internet mountain biking and road cycling show The Hub Show. They’ve invited him in for a screen test on April 1, but are apparently still waiting for a response.

The BBC announced on Wednesday that Clarkson’s contract would not be renewed after its investigation into a “fracas” at the beginning of March concluded the presenter had verbally abused and physically attacked producer Oisin Tymon.