Shot down! Jersey’s Superman misses out on Top Gear

Thursday 12 March 2015

The suspension of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson and the cancellation of the last three episodes of the series have led to an unexpected casualty – Jersey’s Hollywood star Henry Cavill will not be appearing in the last episode as planned.

The 31-year-old Superman star – who will next be on the big screen as Napoleon Solo in the rebooted Man From UNCLE – was due to be on the cult motoring show.

But now the whole future of Top Gear is in doubt after lead presenter Clarkson was suspended – allegedly for punching a producer after a row about being given a cold meal at the end of a shoot – just days before he and his co-presenters were due to sign new three-year deals.

Top Gear pulls in an audience of around 350 million in 214 territories, and earns an estimated £50 million for the BBC every year.

But relations between Clarkson and the BBC hierarchy have been strained by recent controversy about racist language before the most recent incident. And Clarkson and co could command enormous money from anyone of a number of suitors such as ITV, Sky or Netflix.