Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson said he has "a large hole which needs to be filled" since he was dumped by the BBC for assaulting a producer.
Speaking on BBC Radio 2 in his first interview since his departure, Clarkson said the "fracas" was his "own silly fault".
"The BBC is a great organisation and I'll never complain about it," he said.
He did say, however: "There are some dreadful people at the BBC but some incredibly talented, brilliant people."
But he said he was glad to have done work for a new world tour without some of the strictures of his former employer.
"We've made some good films for this, because we've been able to make our own films with no - what's the word - meddling," he said.
Clarkson is set to embark on "the most badly organised world tour in history" with his former co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, starting in Belfast.
"Somebody needs an atlas, somebody has done it by alphabet ... I'm going to spend most of the next six months with James, who's extremely smelly, and Richard on an aeroplane," he said.
The trio are believed to be negotiating with a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon. But Clarkson said he was not "talking" to any US producers, only "listening".
Beyond the tour, he insisted he has no idea what his future holds but that he was busier than ever.
"I've been playing tennis - for two hours yesterday - my forehand is improving immeasurably," he said.
A BBC investigation this year found Clarkson split the lip of producer Oisin Tymon and verbally abused him.
The public broadcaster plans to relaunch Top Gear with new presenters, including model Jodie Kidd.
Clarkson has not ruled out working with the BBC again because, although his contract was not renewed, he was "not sacked, remember".
PA, Fairfax Media
