JEREMY Clarkson has been dropped by the BBC after a producer ended up in hospital following an “unprovoked and physical attack” by the controversial presenter.

An investigation by the BBC has concluded that Clarkson “crossed a line” during the attack on producer Oisin Tymon.

Yorkshire police have now asked for the report and have said that action will be taken “where necessary”.

The report by BBC Scotland director Ken MacQuarrie said: “During the physical attack Oisin Tymon was struck, resulting in swelling and bleeding to his lip. The verbal abuse was sustained over a longer period, both at the time of the physical attack and subsequently.”

The verbal abuse “contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack” Tymon, who believed he had lost his job, said MacQuarrie.

As a result of the report, BBC director general Tony Hall announced yesterday that the Top Gear presenter’s contract would not be renewed.

Clarkson has been suspended since March 10 after the bust-up in a Yorkshire hotel which apparently erupted because no hot food had been supplied after filming.

Tymon did not file a formal complaint and it came to light when Clarkson reported himself to BBC bosses.

Hall said his actions made his dismissal unavoidable.

“For me, a line has been crossed.

“There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations.”

However, he added: “This decision should in no way detract from the extraordinary contribution that Jeremy Clarkson has made to the BBC.

“I have always personally been a great fan of his work and Top Gear.”

In a statement, Tymon, who went to hospital after the attack, thanked the BBC for a “thorough and swift investigation into this very regrettable incident”.

“I’ve worked on Top Gear for almost a decade, a programme I love,” he continued.

“Over that time Jeremy and I had a positive and successful working relationship, making some landmark projects together.

“He is a unique talent and I am well aware that many will be sorry his involvement in the show should end in this way.”

It is not yet known if co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond will continue without Clarkson but May, who has described himself on Twitter as a former presenter, said: “Well apparently they shot him.

“I have only found this out by prising the information out of various BBC sources, nobody has actually told me officially until a few moments ago when the email came.

“I don’t really have anything to say about it. It’s a tragedy.

“I’m sorry that what ought to have been a small incident sorted out easily, turned into something big, but I don’t want to say anything more than that as I have only known for the past few minutes, and if you excuse me, I very desperately have to write the eBay listing for my Ferrari.”

BBC Two controller Kim Shillinglaw has now been asked to handle the “big challenge” of renewing Top Gear for 2016.

Meanwhile Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans has denied press speculation that he is to take Clarkson’s place.

“Not only is it not true, it’s absolute nonsense,” he said yesterday.

Top Gear is one of the BBC’s biggest properties, with overseas sales worth an estimated

£50 million each year.

A petition to save Clarkson attracted about one million signatures, but the presenter was on his final warning after a series of gaffes and off-screen incidents.