'Top Gear': BBC's prize machine has high ownership costs

Make no mistake, Top Gear is a highly valuable asset for BBC Worldwide. It's a huge money spinner for the corporation's commercial arm, a finely-tuned six litre V12 beast of an income generator that’s torn across the globe over the last few years.

The show, whose future hangs in the balance this week after its top presenter Jeremy Clarkson was suspended for allegedly throwing a punch at a producer, is the world’s most–watched factual TV programme.

It earns tens of millions of pounds annually and pulls in some 350 million viewers eager for its mix of dad jokes, car reviews and general buffoonery in 212 territories worldwide. Read more...

More about Uk, Bbc, London, Media, and Entertainment