Top Gear hosts move to Amazon

Amazon Prime Instant Video has won the battle to sign former Top Gear presenters Jermy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. The trio’s new show joins a horde of new programmes that Amazon has been developing as part of its original content strategy, including psychological thriller Hand of God starring Ron Perlman and Dana Delany, eighties comedy Red Oaks, counterfactual post-Second World War drama The Man in the High Castle and docu-series, The New Yorker Presents.

“I feel like I´ve climbed out of a bi-plane and into a spaceship”, Clarkson said on the announcement that the trio would be filming three seasons of a new show for Amazon.

But how much has Amazon Prime splashed out on the deal?

Jeremy Clarkson was dumped from Top Gear in March following a physical attack on a producer.

Wilman told Broadcast Magazine they had “chats” with ITV, but clauses in their BBC contracts prevented them moving to a terrestrial rival within two years of leaving the corporation.

May added: “We have become part of the new age of smart TV”. Oh yes. I have already been there.

If you are already paying for Amazon Prime, then you can click “End membership” on the same screen. I’ve got a job with @AmazonVideoUK.

Top Gear is to continue on UK pubcaster the BBC fronted by popular presenter Chris Evans, as BBC Worldwide owns rights to the name and the format, which brings in around £50 million a year. “We can’t wait to see what Jeremy, Richard, James and the team will create in what is sure to be one of the most globally anticipated shows of 2016”.

It comes just days after Clarkson confirmed he would do another auto show with May and Hammond at some point.

Amazon Prime Day was on July 15, and required that people were members of the premium service.