Oisin Tymon
Oisin Tymon (R) is said to be receiving death threats following the incident with Jeremy Clarkson Getty/BBC

The Top Gear producer at the centre of the Jeremy Clarkson "fracas" has spoken about how the alleged incident has "ruined" his life.

Oisin Tymon, who Clarkson allegedly punched following an expletive-filled rant at a hotel in North Yorkshire over food, is reported to have gone into hiding.

Tymon, who is said to not be pressing charges against Clarkson, has said he has received death threats because of the bust up.

A source told the Mirror: "He is ­terrified that he might lose the job he loves and has been doing for the past six years.

"All he wants to do is to get back to work. Oisin loves the show.

"He loves working on Top Gear and has never had an issue before this incident – which came out of the blue and was caused by a drunk man.

"He is just terrified that he is going to lose his job and career that he has worked really hard for because of Jeremy Clarkson's temper."

Since Clarkson was suspended, Tymon has been the target of trolls on social media, threatening him with violence and saying he should be fired for having Clarkson suspended.

Clarkson is said to have spoken to Danny Cohen, BBC director of TV, to apologise over the incident, having voluntarily put himself forward to the broadcaster to face disciplinary action.

In his column for the Sun newspaper, Clarkson hinted he is ready to quit Top Gear after 13 years as its lead presenter.

He wrote: "Nature made a mistake when it invented the dinosaur. It was too big, too violent… All the dinosaurs died and now, years later, no-one mourns their passing. These big, imposing creatures have no place in a world which has moved on."

Discussing the online petition calling for the BBC to reinstate him – which has attracted more than 900,000 signatures – Clarkson added: "You can start as many campaigns as you like and call on the support of politicians from all sides, but the day must come when you have to wave goodbye to the big monsters, and move on. We lose one animal and get another. The world turns."

More about Jeremy Clarkson