The BBC has fired one of its most popular stars, Jeremy Clarkson, host of the “Top Gear” motoring show.

The BBC sells “Top Gear” to more than 200 countries around the world and it commands an audience of 350 million viewers. The BBC said it had no choice but to let Clarkson go after the star punched one of his co-workers. The host had been given many final warnings following a series of allegedly racist, homophobic and sexist comments on and off the show.

But the BBC’s decision to dump him could prove costly. Top Gear earns the corporation $75 million a year and that could be in jeopardy without the volatile but popular Clarkson.