The BBC has announced that the Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson's contract will not be renewed.

It follows an inquiry into his conduct after a 'fracas' with producer Oisin Tymon.

The BBC director-general Tony Hall has said: "It is with great regret that I have told Jeremy Clarkson today that the BBC will not be renewing his contract."

"It is not a decision I have taken lightly. I have done so only after a very careful consideration of the facts and after personally meeting both Jeremy and Oisin Tymon."

"This has obviously been difficult for everyone involved but in particular for Oisin. I want to make clear that no blame attaches to him for this incident."

"He has behaved with huge integrity throughout. As a senior producer at the BBC he will continue to have an important role within the organisation in the future."

"An unprovoked physical and verbal attack"

He adds that the BBC will now look to renew Top Gear for 2016, and that this "will be a big challenge and there is no point in pretending otherwise."

The BBC investigation found that Mr Tymon was "subject to an unprovoked physical and verbal attack by Jeremy Clarkson".

It said the attack lasted around 30 seconds and only stopped when a witness intervened.

Mr Tymon has not spoken publicly about the confrontation.

Clarkson and his co-hosts were scheduled to take part in four live Top Gear shows in Norway this week, but it was announced on Sunday that they had been postponed.

All three men's contracts run out at the end of this month and Hammond and May's future is still unclear.

Clarkson has not commented publicly but has changed his Twitter profile to: "I used to be a presenter on the BBC2 motoring show, Top Gear".

Clarkson's updated Twitter profile | Image: Twitter

May also changed his to say "former TV presenter". It is not known if Clarkson is in talks with any other television companies.

In relation to the altercation, Mr Hall said: "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."

Radio 2 Breakfast Show host Chris Evans is reportedly being lined up to take over the lead presenter role on Top Gear - although he has ruled himself out in the past.

Clarkson used his newspaper column last weekend to describe his week as "turbulent" and claimed he was joking when he appeared to criticise BBC bosses during an expletive-laden rant at a charity event.

His Top Gear co-host James May has given his reaction.