Ex-Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson offered job by Russian military TV channel

Controversial British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been offered a job by Russian TV network Zvezda to host a Russian equivalent of Top Gear. The network, owned by Russia’s Ministry of Defence, approached the disgraced Top Gear presenter after he was fired by the BBC last week for assaulting a producer on his programme.

The head of Zvezda published a letter today inviting Clarkson to visit Moscow at the start of April to discuss details of a possible collaboration. “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,” the letter reads.

Daniel Rix, a spokesman for Clarkson, told Zvezda that “[Clarkson] will reply. I cannot reply on his behalf.” In an email from Rix published on Zvezda’s website, Rix wrote: “I can only imagine what an episode of Russian vysshaya peredacha [a literal Russian translation of Top Gear] would look like!

Clarkson, who was praised by Zvezda for his experience with tanks, planes and other military equipment, reviewed a number of Soviet cars during his time presenting Top Gear.

Top Gear draws more than 350 million viewers around the world, and is popular in Russia where it airs on state television. A licensed Russian version ran for eight months in 2009 before being taken off air due to low ratings.