The petition to get amateur pugilist Jeremy Clarkson reinstated at the BBC has gathered very nearly one million signatures, which, you might think, shows that a lot of people are very worried about the poor old multimillionaire.

We suspect, however, that what they are truly worried about is just who will present Top Gear if Clarkson is finally banished from Broadcasting House. If no replacement is found, then we may find ourselves in the position of having a mainstream television programme presented by empty space (or James May and Richard Hammond as some people call it).

But help might be at hand in the roll neck and sports jacket comboed form of Alan Partridge. Several petitions (which, at the time of publishing, have close to 2,500 and 280 signatures) have been formed with an eye to getting North Norfolk’s foremost disc jockey to helm the motoring show.

One of the movements already has some big name backers with Armando Iannucci, Alan’s creator, even going so far as to gently press his finger on to his mouse to retweet the link.  

And, when you think about it, Partridge is the ideal replacement. He loves cars, is robustly un-PC and has smashed a BBC producer in the face with a wheel of roquefort.

Top Gear presented by Alan Partridge is a prospect even more enticing than Sue Cook in a sensible swimsuit.

(Images via Giphy)