wombatofludham Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Mind you if there was a non-compete clause in his contract, surely the contract is now nil and void. Which is what I said, but any non-competition clauses in Hammond and May's contracts (if indeed they are there, it was speculation although informed speculation I picked up elsewhere) would still apply as they haven't been dismissed. BBC Worldwide own the rights outright to Top Gear, they bought them in 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19756337 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Which is what I said, but any non-competition clauses in Hammond and May's contracts (if indeed they are there, it was speculation although informed speculation I picked up elsewhere) would still apply as they haven't been dismissed. BBC Worldwide own the rights outright to Top Gear, they bought them in 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19756337 But since Hammond and May's contracts were up for renewal in March 2015 I believe they have left as well so their clauses will also no longer count. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 BBC Worldwide own the rights outright to Top Gear, they bought them in 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19756337 The main effect of that is probably continued format revenue for the BBC from the Top Gears produced with their own presenters by other broadcasters. I suspect that in Britain everyone involved will just have to move on. The TG team at the BBC have incredible experience of producing stunt based items so if it were me I'd be looking for a completely new format, probably nothing to do with cars, that exploits that skillset, appeals to the same demographic but doesn't look like son or daughter of TG. That won't emerge from a programme committee so it needs a genius to come up with something; formats as good as TG don't grow on trees. Please, please not another "reality" show though ISTR the BBC saying a while ago that they wouldn't be commissioning any more of those. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
faulcon1 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Well James May said that he was glad TG ended on a high note with the public wanting more rather than failing in the ratings and being axed. The show couldn't be produced on a network that relies on sponsors like car companies. If the presenters rubbished a car from a sponsor then the sponsor would threaten to withdraw their support unless their product received a positive review, in other words blackmail. The BBC doesn't have to rely on outside sponsors. Of course we don't know if the presenters were all fed up and wanted a change anyway. The other thing is that on TV nothing is forever. Some may not like it but that's the way it is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2015 IMHO Top Gear was getting stale anyway, three schoolboys playing with their toys was beginning to get boring. (Says he a railway modeller. ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanders Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 The show couldn't be produced on a network that relies on sponsors like car companies. If the presenters rubbished a car from a sponsor then the sponsor would threaten to withdraw their support unless their product received a positive review, in other words blackmail. The BBC doesn't have to rely on outside sponsors. Personally I think that's why someone like Netflix would be perfect; they don't rely on income from adverts at all, they've proven they can produce large budget high quality shows, they have worldwide reach and a large chunk of their potential audience are already quite comfortable with watching Top Gear online (Top Gear is one of the most pirated television shows in the world). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 IMHO Top Gear was getting stale anyway, three schoolboys playing with their toys was beginning to get boring. (Says he a railway modeller. ) I repeat - if it was getting stale then why was it earning the BBC £200 million per season in foreign sales? Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 'cos it was still bl**dy good fun to watch! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 I agree it was getting stale, and some of the challenges and races were starting to get a bit too samey. But there were still many that were good fun to watch. I still have a few episodes of the curtailed series to watch on Sky+ . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2015 Perhaps I put it a bit to strong when I described it as 'stale' when I should have said 'samey' as Andy said. This is now a good opportunity for both Top Gear and the trio's new program on Netflix to make a change of direction? The difficulty for both parties is what direction do they wish to go? Whatever direction they go its extremely risky as is simply continuing the same old format. The BBC I think will be/are being forced by circumstances to make changes. The new program on Netflix might be able to continue as a 'clone' of the old Top Gear for a while but if they do how long before the 'sameness' begins to get boring and people decide that its not worth the subscription? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 I certainly think that the challenges and the star in reasonably priced car should be retained, but what new could be added I am unsure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 In my opinion the best episodes were the epic challenges such as driving to the north pole, biking across Vietnam and doing the death road in south America. It would be quite possible to do 'specials' like this away from the TG format with May, Hammond and Clarkson on another channel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 The "death road" in South America was part of the Bolivia special which is my favourite special, closely followed by the Christmas one with the "Baby Stig". Perhaps we should divert this thread and debate our favourite Top Gear challenges and specials. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Walters Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 In my opinion the best episodes were the epic challenges such as driving to the north pole, biking across Vietnam and doing the death road in south America. It would be quite possible to do 'specials' like this away from the TG format with May, Hammond and Clarkson on another channel To be totally pedantic they didn't actually reach the North Pole, they were some 10deg short of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Walters Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Personally I think that's why someone like Netflix would be perfect; they don't rely on income from adverts at all, they've proven they can produce large budget high quality shows, they have worldwide reach and a large chunk of their potential audience are already quite comfortable with watching Top Gear online (Top Gear is one of the most pirated television shows in the world). It's true that Top Gear has had to obtain cars to review by "under the counter" methods, and in some cases have actually had to go out and buy one, in order to review it. There were times when it had got to look staged, and things were said deliberately to be provocative, do you really think three men built that bridge ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Perhaps we should divert this thread and debate our favourite Top Gear challenges and specials. And anybody who doesn't nominate the race against Tornado is disloyal. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Although I enjoyed all the pranks and the road trips, the 'stand out' for me was JC in a Plastic Pig. I've seen them roll over in real life (twice) and it is very funny if nobody is hurt. I still chuckle at the memory of that episode. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Although I enjoyed all the pranks and the road trips, the 'stand out' for me was JC in a Plastic Pig. I've seen them roll over in real life (twice) and it is very funny if nobody is hurt. I still chuckle at the memory of that episode. I admit that was funny at first, but it did become a bit of a one joke film repeated too many times! And anybody who doesn't nominate the race against Tornado is disloyal. Cheers David Naturally that was the best of the races. The car trains challenge was funny, only spoilt by the continuity errors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I admit that was funny at first, but it did become a bit of a one joke film repeated too many times! Not for me, Andy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Not for me, Andy! Glad you enjoyed it. Wouldn't do for us to a all like the same Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 To be totally pedantic they didn't actually reach the North Pole, they were some 10deg short of it. They did reach the 1996 location of the magnetic north pole which was their objective. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Walters Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 They did reach the 1996 location of the magnetic north pole which was their objective. Adrian There is even some argument over that, https://testbackup1stmar2010.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/did-top-gear-actually-go-to-the-north-pole/ This Blog claims that they in fact only traveled half way to the approximate position of the magnetic north pole at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 There is even some argument over that, https://testbackup1stmar2010.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/did-top-gear-actually-go-to-the-north-pole/ This Blog claims that they in fact only traveled half way to the approximate position of the magnetic north pole at the time. They were within a mile of the 1996 location of the magnetic north pole. Since that is the location they were intending to go to (for whatever reason they chose that*, rather than the then-current location), it is a bit like sour grapes to suggest they didn't make it. It is quite possible that the location was chosen because of the ice condition (or lack thereof) at or near other possible locations. It is entertainment rather than a documentary or a scientific expedition after all. I would suggest that people who belittle the achievement to try it themselves... *according to Wikipedia, it was a tie-in with the Polar Challenge which was a race to the 1996 pole. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear:_Polar_Special Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 According to several media outlets, Hammond and May have said no amount f money would persuade them to return to the BBC without Clarkson. They reportedly turned down £9 million. All three, plus executive producer Andy Wilman, are reported to be close to signing a deal with Netflix for a new show. So while the BBC may have the moral high ground, it will lose its most popular and lucrative show and lose the £200 million a year it was earning from foreign sales. Instead even more money will be earned by an American company. That's a Pyrrhic victory by any definition. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 According to several media outlets, Hammond and May have said no amount f money would persuade them to return to the BBC without Clarkson. They reportedly turned down £9 million. All three, plus executive producer Andy Wilman, are reported to be close to signing a deal with Netflix for a new show. So while the BBC may have the moral high ground, it will lose its most popular and lucrative show and lose the £200 million a year it was earning from foreign sales. Instead even more money will be earned by an American company. That's a Pyrrhic victory by any definition. Cheers David Aye, but it's a rather predictable outcome considering just how conceited and (self indulgently) morally righteous many individuals - particularly management - are in the UK these days. The best of luck to the four of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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