Veteran interviewer Sir Michael Parkinson believes Top Gear's future is doomed without Jeremy Clarkson - and the BBC was 'barmy' to sack him.

The 80-year-old former chat show host - who was given the all-clear from prostate cancer last week - said it was crazy to think Top Gear could carry on without Clarkson, who was sacked for assaulting a producer and replaced with Chris Evans.

Production is about to start on a new series of Top Gear, with Chris Evans.

Sir Michael said: 'It's absurd. You can't replace Clarkson. It is Clarkson's programme and he is the centre point and I can't see it working with Chris.'

"They were barmy to sack him in the first place and equally barmy to try to replace him and no-one can," he told Mark Jefferies of the Daily Mirror.

Sir Michael is reportedly friends with Evans, who also presents the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

Evans was named as the successor to Clarkson last month, having signed a three-year deal with the BBC. Production of the new series is set to start imminently. 

Parky' made the comments after it was revealed he had won his two year battle against prostate cancer, which saw him undergo radiotherapy back in 2013.

While he said he has no interest in returning to TV regularly, Sir Michael admitted he'd love to be asked to appear as a guest on Coronation Street.

'I'd come on as a distressed traveller and the car would have conked down outside the Rovers Return and I would walk in and say: 'Has anybody here got a spanner?' and then I would have a pint and leave. That would be brilliant', he said.