Advertisement

Top Gear presenters never considered ITV move, says show producer

Motoring fans hoping for a Top-Gear style car show on ITV may have been a tad disappointed at yesterday’s news that Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have signed a three-series deal with streaming service Amazon Prime.

But according to former Top Gear producer Andy Wilman, a move to ITV or Channel Four wasn’t on the cards, due to a BBC contract clause preventing he or Clarkson from joining another terrestrial broadcaster.

“So the ITV thing was never really going to happen, but there has been lots of interest,” he told Radio Times. “We’ve been in talks for quite a few weeks now with different people, but in the end it all happened very quickly.”

Wilman will also produce the as yet-unnamed 12 episode new series which airs next year. Filming on the show will likely begin in the autumn, with Hammond already tweeting that he needs to “practice driving again".

No strangers to controversy, the presenters were apparently attracted by Amazon’s offer of free creative rein, something Wilman described as “really liberating”.

“It’s a motoring show and there will be themes people will be familiar with,” he said. “But I can’t tell you how good it feels to get the chance to produce something from scratch. We’re all really excited. No one telling us what we can and can’t do, just us hopefully producing great programmes.”

Clarkson, who was infamously sacked from Top Gear after hitting producer Oisin Tymon back in March, is clearly thrilled at his new gig.

“I feel like I’ve climbed out of a bi-plane and into a spaceship,” he said, while Hammond joked “Amazon? Oh yes. I have already been there. I got bitten by a bullet ant.”

“We have become part of the new age of smart TV. Ironic, isn’t it?” added May.

The Top Gear brand will continue on the BBC, with Chris Evans confirmed as anchor. Formula One Driver Jenson Button is the latest star linked with filling one of the remaining co-hosting spots.