Global Top Gear broadcasters offered Italian special

BBC Worldwide has confirmed that it has offered all of the international Top Gear broadcasters a two-part Italian special to replace the episodes they would have got had the regular series not been cut short.

Channels, including BBC America, have already started airing the Top Gear: The Road Trip 2.

BBC Worldwide faced a serious issue when the final instalments of the popular motoring magazine series were cancelled after star presenter Jeremy Clarkson was involved in an altercation with a producer.

It denied reports the missing episodes would cost it millions as it would not be able to fulfill its obligations to international partners, with Top Gear one of its best-selling and most lucrative properties.

It also pledged to offer partners never seen before content, rather than repeats.

Top Gear: The Road Trip 2 delivers on that promise as it was a DVD special released just before last Christmas in the UK where it rapidly became the top-selling DVD of 2014.

The DVD special will be repurposed as two commercial hours. In countries where the Italian road trip special has been seen, other specials will be offered, Worldwide told TBI.