Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has hinted that the time may have come for him to leave the show.

Writing in his column for The Sun, he says that the day must come when you "wave goodbye to the big monsters".

"I don't intend to dwell here on what happened then or what will happen in the future," he says. "I'm sure you're as fed up with the story as I am."

Clarkson was suspended by the BBC earlier this week after reports of a "fracas" with producer Oisin Tymon.

The show has been taken off-air while the BBC carries out an investigation into the allegations.

In his column, Clarkson uses comparisons with animals repeatedly, saying that big imposing creatures on the brink of extinction had no place in a world which has moved on.

"We lose one animal and we get another," he says. "The world turns."

The presenter also thanks his fans, saying that one of the things that has cheered him up is the how many people have expressed their support.

More than 870,000 people have signed a petition demanding he keep his job.

Newspapers are claiming that Clarkson got angry after being told he couldn't have a steak for dinner.

Clarkson is scheduled to appear with co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond at four live shows in Norway on 27 and 28 March and a decision on whether to go ahead with them is expected early next week.

All three men's contracts expire three days after the appearances in Norway.

The last three episodes of the series are on hold.

The BBC has apologised to viewers who complained about the postponed shows.

In a statement it said: "We do hope you'll understand that we value this reaction, but the investigation is still under way.

"Until more is known, we're therefore unable to say anything further in response and will not yet be making further statements about the issue.

"We realise you'll be disappointed that we can't respond to you in any more detail but thank you for contacting us."

Clarkson started the investigation process when he told his bosses about the argument.

A BBC disciplinary panel will be led by Ken MacQuarrie, the head of BBC Scotland, who carried out an investigation after Lord McAlpine was wrongly implicated in child sex abuse allegations by BBC Two's Newsnight.

A lawyer for Mr Tymon said his client intended "to await the outcome of the BBC investigation" and would make no comment until that was finished.

A family who witnessed the row said Clarkson was staying at the Simonstone Hall Hotel near Hawes in North Yorkshire and went into the bar at around 9.30pm after a day of filming last Wednesday.

Bob Ward, 60, from Leeds, told Sky News the star refused to have a selfie taken with him, saying: "No, not with the day I have had."

His wife Sue claimed Clarkson then said it was "ridiculous there was nothing to eat".

She said he thought his colleague had not done his job properly and "he would see to it that he would be losing his job".

Clarkson has joked about his position, telling reporters he was "just off to the job centre" and he changed his Twitter profile on Thursday to read: "I am probably a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show Top Gear."

The BBC owns the rights to Top Gear, which is valued at around £50 million, and includes the show, DVD rights and live shows.

If Clarkson left or was sacked, Top Gear would continue on the BBC while Clarkson could take a similar show to one of its rivals such as Sky or ITV.

Jeremy Clarkson first appeared on the show in 1988 and it now has an estimated global audience of 350 million.

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