The BBC's decision to drop Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear after a physical and verbal attack on a producer has divided social media users worldwide, with reactions ranging from outrage to praise.
In Iran, disappointed fans launched a 'We are all Jeremy Clarkson' trend, while in Argentina, where the Top Gear crew faced protests over a Falklands-related number plate, the move was welcomed. The Russian Defence Ministry even offered Clarkson a job at its TV channel Zvezda.
French daily Figaro said the announcement had 'the effect of a bomb on Twitter', and Italian journalist Federico Garimberti noted that 'a BBC that shows Clarkson the door demonstrates that it doesn't give a damn about its audience'. In the Czech Republic, journalist Ivan Kytka praised the BBC for putting 'principles above profit'.
Some users drew parallels with Zayn Malik leaving One Direction, with one suggesting a new band called 'Top Direction'. The story dominated headlines across Europe and Latin America, highlighting the global reach of Top Gear's 350 million viewers in 212 countries.
