'Top Gear' Put on Hiatus by BBC

[Mark Jeffries]

The long-running (over 45 years!) automobile show has been taken out of production  by the Beeb following an October 22 high-speed crash involving host Freddie Flintoff, of which BBC Studios, the for-profit division that actually produces the show and most other in-house productions, had to pay out an over $11M settlement--the call was made based on an investigation of the show's health and safety practices following the crash (which the Beeb would not reveal):

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bbc-axes-top-gear-freddie-flintoff-accident-1235667906/

The overseas licensed versions of "Top Gear" continue (which at this time does not include the U.S.).

[Kevin M.]

Wait wait wait… are you saying it is unsafe for amateurs to drive cars really fast? 

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[John Edwards]

The story acting as if “Freddie” is his real name is hilarious to me. (It’s Andrew)

He’s made a few public appearances this summer, as he was getting back into coaching cricket, and it looks like he still has some way to go to recover. 

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[M-D November]

I'll be honest, I didn't even realize the flagship show was still running. I know it continued after the Clarkson/Hammond/May exodus, but I quickly lost interest in it.

[Kevin M.]

I thought the late Sabine Schmitz was a great presenter on the series, but nobody else was able to conjure a fraction of the chemistry of the big trio, no matter how hard they tried. And they tried hard. 

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[David Bruggeman]

I think it didn't help with the audience when the show left BBC America for the Road & Track channel.

David

[M-D November]

That tracks (pun not intended), as Sabine worked with Clarkson, Hammond & May and understood the general tone of the show.

[M-D November]

The whatnowchannel?

[Bob Jersey]

Wikipedia has the series moving from BBCA to Motor Trend TV, born Discovery HD, later Velocity, still owned by WBD...

B

M-D November, to David Bruggeman, Nov 27th:

The whatnowchannel?

[David Bruggeman]

My apologies for misremembering where it went  (I am not in the demo for any motoring magazine, whether or not they have a TV network).  I either couldn't get Motor Trend through my cable provider, or it would have required upscaling my service which I couldn't justify.

David

[Bob Jersey]

I can relate, for many a channel. To upgrade my current cable to the next tier would more-than-double the monthly rate.     B

David Bruggeman, to moi, Nov 27th: