Following a report that "Top Gear" host Jeremy Clarkson has been removed from the series after an altercation with one of the producers, with his co-hosts leaving with him, the trio will reunite in a brand new show that will launch on Amazon Prime. According to News.com.au, the new show is likely to premiere this September.
According to the report, the currently untitled series is expected to launch in September but this is not yet a definitive release window. However, the studios behind the new series will release a teaser episode approximately the same time that BBC launches their new "Top Gear" season with new hosts Chris Evans and Sabine Schmitz.
"We're not in the business of sabotage but why should we give them a free run?" reportedly stated an Amazon executive for the show.
When Amazon's show does launch, it will run for 12 episodes per season, with three seasons currently greenlit. The report also points out that the show and its hosts are working with a far better level of independence and a higher budget when compared to their time with "Top Gear" and the BBC.
It is stated that Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have received roughly $8.1 million per episode. This is said to be 10 times the amount the budget given for an episode of "Top Gear." All in all the show has a budget of $323 million for all three seasons, which is even higher than the supposed budget of other high-profile shows such as Netflix's "House of Cards."
Not only will Amazon's series have the advantage of a higher budget and having the three popular hosts but the report also states the BBC's new "Top Gear" with Chris Evans is currently experiencing difficulty through its production. Also cited is the low excitement for the show from fans after it was revealed that Evans would be joined by low-profile racers in order to keep him as the most important character in the series.
