On the road again

A long day on the computer, followed by a long drive to the Cotswolds. Tomorrow is a full driving day to sample the new Audi TT Roadster and TTS Coupe. My route took me via Chipping Norton, where the Prime Minister and Jeremy Clarkson are some time neighbours. I checked into the launch hotel too late to join the rest of the group for a hot dinner, but warmly accepted the offer of soup with crusty brown bread. No fisticuffs were involved.

Saw reports from apparently reliable sources on Twitter tonight that Jeremy Clarkson will be sacked by the BBC tomorrow. If so it's probably inevitable but a terrible shame for Top Gear fans, including the million people who signed a petition to keep him on the programme.

With sadly apt timing, I heard news today that Derek Smith, the man who invented Top Gear in 1977 and was its producer for the first nine years, has died aged 87. The theme music he chose, Jessica by the Allman Brothers, remains the programme's signature to this day.