The BBC’s commercial arm is exploring a range of options to save its Top Gear Live global world tour, including running the events unbranded to allow Jeremy Clarkson to continue to front the shows.
BBC Worldwide has already been forced to postpone four shows in Norway scheduled for this weekend, affecting 18,000 people who paid ticket prices ranging from £45 to £100.
Clarkson is critical to the shows, having appeared at every Top Gear Live event run by the BBC, while co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond only appear at some shows.
BBC Worldwide is in discussions with Brand Events, its joint venture partner in running Top Gear Live, about a number of options to ensure that the tour will continue to run as planned.
Options that are being discussed are thought to include stripping the Top Gear branding from the events to potentially allow Clarkson and co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond to continue to front the tour.
The presenters’ contracts with the BBC, and its commercial arm, expire at the end of next week. Clarkson’s is not being renewed, meaning that he cannot be associated with the BBC Top Gear brand.
However he has a separate contract with Sub-Zero, the name of the joint venture that runs the shows, and stripping the branding could allow him to continue appearing at the shows.
Another option thought to be under discussion is to continue the events with only May and Hammond, who are also thought to have separate Sub-Zero contracts, as front men.
The duo have not made it clear if they intend to renew their contracts with the BBC.
The idea of running the shows without Top Gear Live branding has precedent.
Top Gear Live was born out of an existing tour, called MPH, which was fronted by Clarkson, May and Hammond for a number of years. MPH was originally run independently of the BBC and was owned and operated by Brand Events, the current partner of Top Gear Live. A joint venture was then created with BBC Worldwide, which gradually introduced the Top Gear Live branding to the shows, to maximise the association with the BBC2.
Top Gear Live makes more than £11m in revenues annually and this year’s global tour is understood to have sold more than 100,000 tickets.
“There’s lots of speculation about Top Gear at the moment – however no Top Gear Live shows have been cancelled and we are working through the implications of Jeremy’s contract not being renewed,” said a spokesman for BBC Worldwide. “We will update ticket holders as soon as possible.”
Top Gear Live has a string of international events lined up this year, with the next under threat potentially Sydney in April and Johannesburg in June.
The UK stops on the tour – Belfast in May, Sheffield in June and London’s O2 in November – have been guaranteed by UK promoter Live Nation.
BBC Worldwide has not announced new dates for the postponed shows in Norway.
