BBC Director-General Tony Hall has said he will 'gather the facts ' and make a decision 'based on a whale raft of things ' regarding Jeremy Clarkson 's future at the corporation . Clarkson was suspended from Top Gear last week following an alleged altercation with producer Oisin Tymon . In a Q & A session at the Enders Analysis conference in London today , the first two questions directed to Lord Hall related to Clarkson . Scroll down for video . Lord Hall , Director-General of the BBC , last week described himself as a 'fan ' of Top Gear presenter Clarkson . He began : ' I thought for one glorious moment , you know ... ' ( that he might not get a Clarkson question ) , a joke that drew laughs . 'The most important thing is to gather the facts around you and not listen to all the speculation and let me tell you I will gather the facts and make my decision based on a whole raft of things . ' Business Insider then asked him whether it was healthy to keep staff on board who might be punching their colleagues . 'You should gather the facts from the people concerned before you make your decision and that 's exactly what I 'm doing , ' Hall said , to more laughter . It is believed Clarkson has the support of Lord Hall and only last week he described himself as a 'fan ' of the Top Gear boss . He also intervened to overrule Director of BBC television Danny Cohen last year , who was said to have wanted to take disciplinary action against the presenter in the wake of his mumbled use of the ' N-word ' in a Top Gear outtake . Jeremy Clarkson was spotted leaving his west London home today in a leather jacket and dark sunglasses . The row between Clarkson and Tymon was said to have taken place because no hot food was laid on for the presenter following a day 's filming in North Yorkshire . Mr Tymon did not file a formal complaint and it is understood Clarkson reported the incident himself . Writing in his column in the Sun newspaper , Clarkson appeared to hint that he was close to quitting , calling himself a 'dinosaur ' and adding : 'These big imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on . ' An online petition to reinstate Clarkson has reached more than 950,000 signatures . Media watchdog Ofcom said it had received more than 100 complaints about Top Gear being replaced on BBC Two with a Red Arrows documentary on Sunday , March 15 . The critic AA Gill voiced his support for Clarkson in his Sunday Times column , calling the investigation into the row 'preposterous and ponderous ' , and praised Clarkson as hard-working . The controversial presenter was suspended from Top Gear last week following an alleged altercation with producer Oisin Tymon . The BBC has now launched an inquiry into what happened and Ken MacQuarrie , the senior BBC executive entrusted with sorting out the awkward affair , is believed to be in London and starting work . Clarkson 's contract runs out in March , and it is not clear whether it will be renewed , or whether Clarkson himself will opt to leave the BBC . Top Gear has been taken off air while the investigation is carried out . Clarkson is still scheduled to appear alongside co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond at four live shows in Norway on March 27 and 28 and all three men 's contracts expire three days later . The BBC declined to comment on whether Clarkson 's suspension , if it were still in force , would cover an appearance on a separate show . The news comes as the racing driver who was the first Stig on Top Gear has said that the BBC show would lose its 'fire ' without the embattled Clarkson . Perry McCarthy , who was the show 's resident racing driver between 2002 to 2003 , said Top Gear without Clarkson simply 'wo n't work ' . Elsewhere today , in a separate investigation , Clarkson was cleared of racism after the BBC ruled his use of the term 'pikey ' in a Top Gear episode in February 2014 was not designed to offend gypsies and travellers .
Tony Hall will 'gather the facts ' before deciding on Clarkson 's future . Presenter suspended last week after alleged altercation with producer . Last week , Top Gear described himself as a 'fan ' of the Lord Hall presenter . BBC has now launched an inquiry into what happened in Yorkshire .