Jeremy Clarkson is to be sacked as Top Gear presenter after a BBC investigation concluded he did attack a producer on the programme.
Lord Hall, the Director General of the BBC, was expected to announce his decision overnight after considering the findings of an internal investigation.
Clarkson, 54, was tobe thanked for his work on the hugely popular motoring show, but would be told such behaviour cannot be tolerated at the corporation.
It is understood a report into the so-called "fracas" at a North Yorkshire hotel concluded that the presenter spent 20 minutes verbally abusing producer Oisin Tymon, before launching a 30-second physical assault on him.
The outburst came after Clarkson, one of the BBC's best paid stars, was informed he could not have steak and chips after a day's filming because the hotel where they were staying had stopped serving hot food. But despite finally deciding to axe the show's star presenter, the BBC plans to continue broadcasting Top Gear on BBC2.
According to well-placed sources, senior executives at the corporation have been wooing Radio 2 Breakfast Show host and self-confessed petrol-head Chris Evans, in the hope he will agree to take over.
Evans, 48, who has one of the most prestigious car collections in Britain, including a 12 million ($23.4 million) 1963 Ferrari 250GTO, had previously ruled himself out, but bosses are keen to persuade him to sign up.
It is not clear if Clarkson's co-presenters, James May and Richard Hammond, will remain with the television programme.
It is thought Clarkson may sign for US network Netflix, which is becoming popular with global TV audiences.
Despite feeling he has been left with no alternative but to sack Clarkson, Lord Hall was expected to thank him for helping to build Top Gear into one of the corporation's crown jewels and praise him as a "brilliant broadcaster".
But the decision to continue with the programme will be regarded as something of a risk for the BBC.
For many fans it was Clarkson's near the knuckle brand of humour that helped make the show so popular.
