Carkson was undoubtedly the spokesperson of the cast and crew. When the crew needed a voice to be heard by management the obvious choice would be Clarkson. His people put in a hard days work and weren't getting a decent meal, that made Jeremy angry, and he vented that anger on whom the responsibility lie. Had those who were responsible for holding up their end of the bargain with the cast and crew been made of the same stuff as Jeremy Clarkson the crew would have gotten a decent meal. A lot of people get fired for a lot of things, but as far as reason for getting fired go it's hard, for me at least, to recall a more admirable reason for someone getting fired.
The press has always sprayed a lot of venom Clarkson's way but when Piers Morgan drug a lady friend of Clarkson into it by publishing photos of her, Jeremy broke a finger on Morgan's head. In a bygone (unfortunately) time this could be seen as being a gentleman. You see the pattern here? Yes he's thrown blows, on behalf of a responsibility to friends and the people in his charge.
It's a sad analogy really of what's become of Britain, where the like of Clarkson are vilified. We all know, if we're honest with ourselves, if the leaders of Britain were cast of the same mettle as Jeremy Clarkson it would be a better place with a brighter future.