The U.K.'s national broadcaster said on Wednesday it would not be keeping on the host of "Top Gear," one its most profitable shows, following a "fracas" with a television producer.
"It is with great regret that I have told Jeremy Clarkson today that the BBC will not be renewing his contract," said Tony Hall, the Director-General of the BBC in a statement.
Clarkson was one of the BBC's most famous presenters, heading up its hit motoring program "Top Gear," which was shown and franchised around the world.
Two weeks' ago he was suspended from his job following a "fracas with a BBC producer." It was alleged that Clarkson had "punched" a colleague in a disagreement about the food provided for his evening meal.
On Wednesday, Hall confirmed that "A member of staff – who is a completely innocent party—took himself to Accident and Emergency (the emergency room of a hospital) after a physical altercation accompanied by sustained and prolonged verbal abuse of an extreme nature."
Clarkson has a track record of controversial behavior. He was criticized after a video was leaked that appeared to show him saying an offensive racist word.
The presenter himself had said that the BBC would sack him if he made "one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time."
On Thursday, Hall said: "For me, a line has been crossed. There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations."
Hall added the BBC would look to renew Top Gear in 2016.
"This will be a big challenge and there is no point in pretending otherwise," he said.