Top Gear hosts are close to a deal with Netflix
According to the Daily Mirror's Nigel Pauley, a source claims that ex-"Top Gear" hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond are "very close" to a deal with Netflix.
The source also told that Hammond and May will refuse to accept the $7.1-million offer from the BBC to return to the show. Sources claim that the BBC offered the duo each as much as $1.2 million to $1.8 million a year to host the Top Gear TV show for another two or three series, the Daily Mail's Jennifer Newton reported last week.
The Top Gear hosts made it clear that "no amount of money could persuade them to return to the BBC2 show without Clarkson." according to the Daily Mirror. After Jeremy Clarkson was dismissed by BBC, Richard Hammond and James May voluntarily declined to renew their respective BBC contracts, which expired in April. The duo doesn’t want to continue the Top Gear show without Jeremy Clarkson. Andy Wilman, a longtime executive producer and close friend of Clarkson, also left the BBC in the wake of the hosts' dismissal.
In the search for a new broadcaster, negotiations and meetings where held with a number of potential broadcasters including British broadcasters ITV. But it seems that the online streaming service Netflix came out as the most favorite. It is unknown what will happen next and when Netflix will start broadcasting the new Top Gear TV show.
UPDATE July 30: Amazon anounced that the Top Gear trio signed a contract with Amazon. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May signed for three seasons at the streaming service of Amazon. The new car show will be released in 2016.
