Back Top Gear ANG توب جير Arabic Топ Гиър Bulgarian تۆپ گێر (زنجیرەی تەلەڤیزیۆنی) CKB Top Gear Czech Top Gear Welsh Top Gear Danish Top Gear German Top Gear Greek Top Gear Esperanto

Top Gear (2002 TV series)

Top Gear
GenreAutomotive entertainment
Comedy
Motorsport
Motoring
Created by
Written by
  • Richard Porter
  • Paul Kerensa
Directed by
  • Brian Klein
  • Phil Churchward
  • Mark McQueen
Presented by
Opening theme"Jessica" by The Allman Brothers Band
ComposerDickey Betts (arr. by Christian Henson)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series33
No. of episodes240 (including 13 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Gary Hunter
  • Andy Wilman[1]
  • Aurora Mulligan
  • Clare Pizey
Producers
  • Maggie Gibson
  • Kate Shiers-Ghellere
  • Peter McCann
  • Gary Broadhurst
  • Pat Doyle
  • Alex Renton
  • Grant Wardrop
  • Chris Hale
  • Greg Vince
  • Oisin Tymon
Production locationsDunsfold Aerodrome (2002–2020)
Television Centre, London (2021–2022)
Editors
  • Guy Savin
  • Dan James
  • Alex Renton
Running time60 minutes (normal episodes)
60–120 minutes (specials)
Production companies
  • BBC Productions (2002–2016)
  • BBC Studios Factual Entertainment Productions (2017–2022)
Original release
Network
Release20 October 2002 (2002-10-20) –
18 December 2022 (2022-12-18)
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Top Gear is a British automotive magazine and currently inactive motoring-themed entertainment television programme. It is a revival devised by Jeremy Clarkson and Andy Wilman of the 1977–2001 show of the same name for the BBC, and premiered on 20 October 2002. The programme focuses on the examination and reviewing of motor vehicles, primarily cars, though this was expanded upon after the broadcast of its earlier series to incorporate films featuring motoring-based challenges, special races, timed laps of notable cars, and celebrity timed laps on a course specially-designed for the relaunched programme. The programme drew acclaim for its visual and presentation style since its launch, which focused on being generally entertaining to viewers, as well as criticism over the controversial nature of its content.[2][3][4] The show was also praised for its occasionally controversial humour and lore existing in not just the automotive community but in the form of internet memes and jokes.[5] The programme was aired on BBC Two until it was moved to BBC One for its twenty-ninth series in 2020.

The programme's first series in 2002 was presented by Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe, with an anonymous test driver "The Stig", an individual played by several different racing drivers over the course of the show's history, being featured; Wilman was the show's executive producer. Following the first series, Dawe was replaced by James May, with the line-up unchanged until the end of the twenty-second series, when the BBC chose to not renew Clarkson's contract on 25 March 2015, following an incident during filming.[6] His dismissal from Top Gear prompted the departure of Hammond, May and Wilman from the programme,[1][7][8] who joined Clarkson in forming a new motoring series, The Grand Tour.[9]

After the group's departure, others were appointed as hosts for the programme, including Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc, both joined by four co-presenters for the twenty-third series: Rory Reid, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris and Eddie Jordan.[10][11] After negative feedback on this series, Evans resigned from the programme, with LeBlanc joined by Harris and Reid as the main hosts for the following three series. From the twenty-seventh series onwards (2019), the presenting line-up was changed following the departure of LeBlanc and Reid, with Harris joined by Andrew Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness as the main presenters. This series proved more popular with viewers.[12] Production of the thirty-fourth series was halted in March 2023 after Flintoff was injured in an accident during filming; the BBC later announced that Top Gear would not return for the "foreseeable future".[13]

Top Gear has been one of the BBC's most commercially successful programmes since its relaunch. It has become a significant show in British popular culture,[14][15] with episodes also broadcast internationally in many countries in Europe, North America, Southeast Asia and more, making it the most widely broadcast factual television programme in the world.[16] Its success has led to various forms of merchandising, including live tours, special DVD editions, and books, as well as spawning a variety of international versions in various countries, including the United States, Australia, South Korea, China, and France.

  1. ^ a b "Top Gear producer Andy Wilman quits show – BBC News". BBC News Online. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  2. ^ Cooper, Glenda (8 January 2008). "Exposing Jeremy Clarkson's sensitive side". Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  3. ^ Gill, AA (20 July 2008). "Harley Street: another unimaginative medical drama". The Sunday Times. UK. Archived from the original on 8 September 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  4. ^ "Top Gear India special criticised for 'toilet humour'". Bbc.co.uk. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  5. ^ "10 Reasons Why BBC's 'Top Gear' Is The Best Show On TV". Business Insider.
  6. ^ "Jeremy Clarkson dropped from Top Gear, BBC confirms – BBC News". BBC News Online. 25 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  7. ^ John Plunkett (24 April 2015). "Top Gear to have all-new team as Richard Hammond rules himself out". The Guardian.
  8. ^ Ward, Victoria (23 April 2015). "James May rules out returning to Top Gear without Jeremy Clarkson – Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Clarkson, Hammond, May reveal the name of new motoring show". Wheels24. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  10. ^ "BBC – Chris Evans to lead new Top Gear line up – Media Centre". bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ "Matt LeBlanc to be Top Gear co-presenter". BBC News. 4 February 2016.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference 31st was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Top Gear will not return for 'foreseeable future'". BBC News. 21 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Top Gear sparks Mexico complaints". Bbc.co.uk. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  15. ^ Huffman, John Pearley (6 October 2016). "The British Are Coming; Mayhem Sure to Follow". The New York Times. New York Times.
  16. ^ "Sir Bruce Forsyth becomes record breaker". BBC News Online. 7 September 2012. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012. motoring show Top Gear, is also recognised in the 2013 volume. The BBC Two fixture holds the record for the world's most widely-watched factual TV programme, having now been broadcast in 212 territories.

Developed by StudentB