The BBC has been accused of burying a bullying scandal after allegedly receiving complaints about the conduct of Top Gear presenter Chris Evans six months ago.
Heat Street can reveal that former Top Gear executive producer Lisa Clark created a “paper trail” of claims against Evans which she sent to senior managers following at least one incident when she believed the presenter behaved unreasonably towards her.
Ms Clark subsequently left the BBC.
A source close to Top Gear told Heat Street: “Lisa Clark is a highly experienced producer. But late last year she challenged Chris Evans in a meeting in front of some BBC executives. She made it clear that Top Gear was badly behind its filming schedule. Evans did not like being criticised and let’s just say he made that very clear to Lisa. Pretty soon afterwards, Lisa left the BBC.”
Since Ms Clark’s departure, just six months into her contract, the number of Top Gear episodes the BBC is intending to broadcast has dropped from eight to six.
The source said that shortly before her departure last December Ms Clark sent at least one email to senior managers detailing her concerns about Evans and making it clear that she felt she had been treated badly by him.
Intriguingly, Heat Street has been told by a separate source that the BBC producer who was called in to replace Ms Clark – Clare Pizey – has a “protective” clause written into her contract which guarantees at least one other person attends all Top Gear meetings between her and Evans.
The second source said: “Clare Pizey was told [by the BBC] that she had to take on the Top Gear brief so she made sure she protected herself. Everybody knew what Evans was like before he started on the programme.”
Clark and Pizey are described by insiders as “longstanding and close friends”.
The new series, screened on BBC2 and BBC America, is set to begin on May 29.
Evans’ co-hosts include Matt LeBlanc.
Evans has come in for significant criticism recently.
Last month he allegedly reduced a Radio 2 producer to tears after berating her at work to such a degree that, onlookers reported, a colleague had to intervene.
On that occasion BBC Director of Studios Mark Linsey and Radio 2 boss Bob Shennan issued a statement backing Evans. The pair said: “Since taking on Top Gear alongside his Radio 2 breakfast show, Chris has displayed even greater commitment and professionalism.”
A zero-tolerance stance on bullying was introduced by BBC chief Tony Hall in 2013.
But critics have said that BBC bosses are reluctant to investigate any claims against Evans in order to protect Top Gear, which generates an estimated £150 million ($172 million) in extra revenue each year.
Top Gear is believed to be the most widely watched factual show in the world, broadcast in more than 200 territories.
Over the last 10 days Heat Street has revealed:
Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said: “This situation bears all the hallmarks of a BBC bullying cover-up to protect its own reputation and that of Top Gear, which makes it a lot of money. If Tony Hall’s anti-bullying rule means anything, he must have a proper inquiry into the circumstances of Lisa Clark’s departure from the BBC and what caused Chris Evans’ colleague at Radio 2 to become so upset.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We are not commenting on this.”