Recent myth has it that all their contracts expire at the same time, and JC sold his part of the progrsamme to the BBC not that long ago.
And talk of setting up a rival in America. And he has made a few friends in the Hollywooden Glitterati over the years.

Well I did posit to the effect, was this stupidity or tactical agenda.

Methinks I was right to be cynical. He is not stupid, he just does stupid things. A lot of them scripted.