Official poster for Top Gear

Talk show · BBC One

Top Gear

The world’s biggest motoring show.

7.6IMDb887 votesStrongly recommended
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2002 –33 seasons · 218 episodes~60 min per episodeTV-PGReturning series
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The Nutevio profile

TV DNA

How Top Gear actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.

Signature profile

Top Gear reads strongest on Bingeability, Character Depth and Emotional Weight.

BingeabilityVery strong7.5

How hard it is to stop after one episode.

Character DepthPresent5.1

How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.

Emotional WeightPresent4.8

How much the series is designed to affect you.

TensionPresent4.0

The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.

SpectacleLight3.5

Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.

World BuildingLight3.5

The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.

Cliffhanger IntensityLight3.0

How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.

HumourLight2.5

How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.

SerializedMinimal0.5

How much each hour depends on the one before it.

The story

What it's about

This fast-paced and stunt-filled motor show tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary, live up to their manufacturers' claims. The long-running show travels to locations around the world, performing extreme stunts and challenges to see what the featured cars are capable of doing. The current hosts are Paddy Mcguinness, Chris Harris and Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff.

The run

Seasons

33 seasons · 218 episodes.

  • Official poster for Specials

    Season 0 · Complete

    Specials

    2003100 episodes

    A series of specials starting in January 28th 2003. Includes specials like Stars in Fast Cars and Best of Top Gear.

    Best episode · S00E20 Top Ground Gear Force

  • Official poster for Series 1

    Season 1 · Complete

    Series 1

    200210 episodes

    7.0IMDb

    The first series of the relaunched television series Top Gear was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two starting on 20 October 2002, and concluding on 29 December 2002, and contained 10 episodes. The series included presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and Jason Dawe. This was Dawe's only series as a presenter on Top Gear.

    Best episode · S01E10 Episode 10

  • Official poster for Series 2

    Season 2 · Complete

    Series 2

    200310 episodes

    7.2IMDb

    The second series of the television series Top Gear began on 11 May 2003, and concluded on 27 July 2003. The series featured 10 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" episode, charting the best moments from Series 1 and 2. The series was the first to be recorded with James May, as the first series featured motoring enthusiast Jason Dawe.

    Best episode · S02E01 Episode 1

  • Official poster for Series 3

    Season 3 · Complete

    Series 3

    20039 episodes

    7.2IMDb

    The third series of Top Gear began on 26 October 2003, and concluded on 28 December 2003. The series featured 9 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" special, charting the best moments from the series. The series was the first series of Top Gear to get more than 10 million viewers for an episode.

    Best episode · S03E05 Episode 5

  • Official poster for Series 4

    Season 4 · Complete

    Series 4

    200410 episodes

    7.3IMDb

    The fourth series of Top Gear began on 9 May 2004, and concluded on 1 August 2004. The series contained 10 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" special, charting the best moments from the series, and "Stars In Fast Cars", a Sport Relief charity special, which later spawned its own series.

    Best episode · S04E05 Episode 5

  • Official poster for Series 5

    Season 5 · Complete

    Series 5

    20049 episodes

    7.2IMDb

    The fifth series of Top Gear began in the United Kingdom on 24 October 2004 and concluded on 26 December 2004. The series contained 9 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" special, which aired 2 January 2005, charting the best moments from Series 4 and 5.

    Best episode · S05E02 Episode 2

  • Official poster for Series 6

    Season 6 · Complete

    Series 6

    200511 episodes

    7.3IMDb

    The sixth series of Top Gear aired on 22 May 2005 and concluded on 7 August 2005. A total of 11 episodes were broadcast, the most of any Top Gear series. It also began the, "Some say..." introduction to the Stig

    Best episode · S06E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 7

    Season 7 · Complete

    Series 7

    20057 episodes

    7.1IMDb

    The seventh series of Top Gear began on 13 November 2005, and concluded on 27 December 2005. The series contained seven episodes, one of which being the Winter Olympics special. The series was subsequently followed by five "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from past series of the show, including Supercars, Special Guests, British Motoring and The Challenges. The seventh series is currently the longest-running Top Gear series yet.

    Best episode · S07E05 Episode 5

  • Official poster for Series 8

    Season 8 · Complete

    Series 8

    20068 episodes

    7.5IMDb

    The eighth series of Top Gear began on 7 May and concluded on 30 July 2006. The series featured eight episodes. Over 150 complaints were received regarding actions carried out in the sixth episode, ultimately resulting in a caravan being burnt. Clarkson later proclaimed that it was not an 'accident' as first implied, but a publicity stunt to show everyone how much Top Gear hate caravans.

    Best episode · S08E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 9

    Season 9 · Complete

    Series 9

    20076 episodes

    7.1IMDb

    The ninth series of Top Gear began on 28 January 2007 and concluded on 4 March 2007. The series featured six episodes, with a further two specials, broadcast afterwards. The series also included one "Best Of Top Gear" special, charting the best moments from Series 8 and 9.

    Best episode · S09E01 Episode 1

  • Official poster for Series 10

    Season 10 · Complete

    Series 10

    200710 episodes

    6.9IMDb

    Top Gear returned for a tenth series, containing 10 episodes, broadcast between 7 October 2007 and 23 December 2007. It was claimed that between the filming of the ninth and tenth series, rival motoring magazine Fifth Gear broke into the Top Gear premises and burnt down the Cool Wall. However, it was later revealed that the incident was a publicity stunt dreamed up between old friends Clarkson and Vicki Butler-Henderson. The opening episode of the series mentions the incident. The series was followed by four "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from the series. The "Top Ground Gear Force" special also aired as part of the series.

    Best episode · S10E04 Botswana Special

  • Official poster for Series 11

    Season 11 · Complete

    Series 11

    20086 episodes

    7.4IMDb

    The 11th series of Top Gear was broadcast between 22 June 2008 and 27 July 2008, in show's usual time slot of 8pm on Sunday on BBC Two. The series consists of six episodes. This series included a revised title sequence, following the same visual style as with the sequence used for Series 8 through 10, but incorporating footage from the two prior series. A new character was introduced in the first episode of the series. Also for the first five episodes of this series, the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" becomes "Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car", featuring two celebrity guests every week, each one setting an individual laptime. In May 2008, after series producer Andy Wilman held a brainstorming session with the presenters and other production staff, various facts about the upcoming series were released. Wilman confirmed that series 11 would see the presenters, Clarkson, Hammond and May, gain more control over the flow of the show's popular news segment. The series included running jokes appearing in each episode: Clarkson showing an image he claims to have found on "the Internet" which is censored for the television broadcast; and, in the news section, May appearing to feign enthusiasm whilst presenting a brief news item about the Dacia Sandero with no further discussion before they move on to the next item.

    Best episode · S11E06 Episode 6

  • Official poster for Series 12

    Season 12 · Complete

    Series 12

    20088 episodes

    7.6IMDb

    The 12th series of Top Gear contained eight episodes, and premiered on 2 November 2008, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. Clarkson was injured while filming the series, after crashing a lorry through a brick wall at 56 mph in the first episode's HGV challenge. The running joke regarding the Dacia Sandero continues from series 11, with the alteration that Clarkson is now the one making the announcement with feigned enthusiasm, to utter indifference from May. Each news segment also features one of the hosts wearing something unusual, like slippers or a garishly patterned shirt. The only reference to this is that one of the other hosts will, at some point in the segment, ask if they're wearing it for a bet. The Stig, instead of listening to music during power laps, now listens to morse code. The final episode, the "Top Gear: Vietnam Special", aired two weeks after the rest of the series as part of the BBC's Christmas line-up. The series was followed by four "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from Series 11 and 12.

    Best episode · S12E08 Vietnam Special

  • Official poster for Series 13

    Season 13 · Complete

    Series 13

    20097 episodes

    7.4IMDb

    Top Gear returned to BBC Two for a 13th series on 21 June 2009, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. The series contained 7 episodes. Despite forced budget cuts, series 13 contained new challenges, new power tests, more foreign travel and more races. Features include the Top Gear Race to the North, a race from London to Edinburgh between steam locomotive No. 60163 Tornado with Jeremy riding in the cab of the train, James May in a Jaguar XK120 and Richard Hammond on a Vincent Black Shadow motorbike, Richard and James racing a letter sent by the Royal Mail in a Porsche Panamera, and a review of the best cars for 17-year-olds. Glamour model and Page 3 girl Madison Welch also made an appearance in the sixth episode.

    Best episode · S13E02 Episode 2

  • Official poster for Series 14

    Season 14 · Complete

    Series 14

    20097 episodes

    7.5IMDb

    Top Gear returned for a 14th series, aired on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 15 November 2009, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. The series contained 7 episodes. Episode 1 featured the team being sent to find the Transfăgărăşan road in Romania with Jeremy in an Aston Martin DBS Volante, Richard in a Ferrari California and James in a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Episode 2 featured Jeremy, Richard and James attempting to build an electric car better than a G-Wiz. Episode 3 featured a road trip between James May in a caravan airship and Richard Hammond in a Lamborghini Balboni. Episode 4 featured a road test of Renault Twingo RS 133, before being driven off the docks in Belfast. Episode 5 featured Jeremy, James and Richard taking over an art gallery in Middlesbrough and filling it with motoring-related works, in attempt to prove "cars can be art too". In the style of their trips to Vietnam, Botswana, the North Pole and the United States, Episode 6 was a 75-minute special from Bolivia. Episode 7 featured Jeremy's worldwide review of the BMW X6, including visits to Hong Kong, Spain, Barbados and Australia. The series was followed by four "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from Series 13 and 14.

    Best episode · S14E01 Episode 1

  • Official poster for Series 15

    Season 15 · Complete

    Series 15

    20106 episodes

    7.6IMDb

    Top Gear returned for a 15th series, aired on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 27 June 2010, and concluded on 1 August 2010, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. Prior to the series, the channel advertised the show's return by featuring a home video originally published to YouTube. In the clip, the parents of a young boy see the Top Gear crew filming the motorhome challenge. The over-excited responses of the parents were adapted to produce the trailer. Several segments which were recorded for the series were missed out, including Jeremy travelling from the most westerly point at sunset to the most easterly point at sunrise in the new Jaguar XJ, and the return of Jonathan Ross to the reasonably priced car. The series was followed by two "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from the series.

    Best episode · S15E04 Episode 4

  • Official poster for Series 16

    Season 16 · Complete

    Series 16

    20116 episodes

    7.6IMDb

    The sixteenth series of BBC motoring series Top Gear began airing on 21 December 2010, with the usual team of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, and The Stig.

    Best episode · S16E02 Episode 2

  • Official poster for Series 17

    Season 17 · Complete

    Series 17

    20116 episodes

    7.6IMDb

    The seventeenth series of British motoring program Top Gear began on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 26 June 2011, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig.

    Best episode · S17E02 Episode 2

  • Official poster for Series 18

    Season 18 · Complete

    Series 18

    20127 episodes

    7.7IMDb

    The eighteenth series of British motoring programme Top Gear began on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 29 January 2012, preceded by a Christmas special on 28 December 2011, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. One segment that was due to appear in the series, which featured May driving a jet plane around the test track, was not broadcast for unknown reasons, although it appeared in the Challenges 6 DVD and it showed it would have been part of the Saab feature in the series.

    Best episode · S18E01 Episode 1

  • Official poster for Series 19

    Season 19 · Complete

    Series 19

    20137 episodes

    7.7IMDb

    The nineteenth series of British motoring programme Top Gear began on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 27 January 2013, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig.

    Best episode · S19E06 Africa Special (1)

  • Official poster for Series 20

    Season 20 · Complete

    Series 20

    20136 episodes

    7.5IMDb

    Best episode · S20E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 21

    Season 21 · Complete

    Series 21

    20147 episodes

    7.8IMDb

    The twenty-first series of British motoring programme Top Gear is currently in the works, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. Currently, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond are working on a new DVD, entitled "The Perfect Road Trip". They have been seen around Monaco filming footage. Jeremy Clarkson confirmed on Twitter on September 16 that he'd started filming for Series 21.

    Best episode · S21E07 Burma Special (2)

  • Official poster for Series 22

    Season 22 · Complete

    Series 22

    20158 episodes

    7.4IMDb

    A slightly disjointed series with the departure of Clarkson, Hammond and May

    Best episode · S22E08 Episode 8

  • Official poster for Series 23

    Season 23 · Complete

    Series 23

    20166 episodes

    4.0IMDb

    The twenty-third series of Top Gear was aired during 2016 on BBC Two and consisted of six episodes, beginning on 29 May and concluding on 3 July, it was planned to feature ten episodes, but this was revised following concerns the series would conflict with the two major sporting events of Summer 2016, despite the fact it was broadcast alongside UEFA Euro 2016 tournament. Following the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, this series featured a new hosting line-up that consisted of Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc, Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris, Rory Reid and Eddie Jordan.

    Best episode · S23E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 24

    Season 24 · Complete

    Series 24

    20177 episodes

    5.2IMDb

    Best episode · S24E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 25

    Season 25 · Complete

    Series 25

    20186 episodes

    6.3IMDb

    Best episode · S25E03 Episode 3

  • Official poster for Series 26

    Season 26 · Complete

    Series 26

    20195 episodes

    5.5IMDb
  • Official poster for Series 27

    Season 27 · Complete

    Series 27

    20195 episodes

    5.1IMDb

    Best episode · S27E01 Episode 1

  • Official poster for Series 28

    Season 28 · Complete

    Series 28

    20206 episodes

    8.3IMDb
  • Official poster for Series 29

    Season 29 · Complete

    Series 29

    20205 episodes

    7.8IMDb
  • Official poster for Series 30

    Season 30 · Complete

    Series 30

    20214 episodes

    7.0IMDb
  • Official poster for Series 31

    Season 31 · Complete

    Series 31

    20215 episodes

  • Official poster for Series 32

    Season 32 · Complete

    Series 32

    20225 episodes

    7.0IMDb
  • Official poster for Series 33

    Season 33 · Complete

    Series 33

    20225 episodes

    7.4IMDb

Where the series peaks

Best Episodes

The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

Still from Polar Special

S00E12

Polar Special

9.5IMDb6 votes

The distance between Resolute in northern Canada and the magnetic North Pole at Ellef Ringnes Island is 450 miles. It's a journey across sea ice and unforgiving mountainous terrain where temperatures can drop to minus 65ºC - a temperature at which exposed skin can freeze in less than 30 seconds. Only fools would attempt such a journey. So Jeremy and James are attempting to do it in the now legendary Toyota Hilux and Richard hopes to make it on a sled pulled by ten Canadian Inuit dogs. Watch the complaints from environmentalists roll in.

25 Jul 200762 min
Still from Middle East Special

S00E34

Middle East Special

9.2IMDb6 votes

In a special extended version of the programme, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May embark on an appropriately seasonal road trip as they attempt to follow the path of the Three Wise Men across the Middle East.

26 Dec 201076 min
Still from Vietnam Special

S12E08

Vietnam Special

8.8IMDb28 votes

Arriving in Vietnam, Jeremy, Richard and James have to travel the entire length of the country in just eight days. But first they have to buy some suitable transport for the trip, and despite having several million Dong in their pockets, this proves to be rather more difficult than they expected, especially in one of the most expensive car markets in the world.

28 Dec 200875 min
Still from Patagonia Special (2)

S00E69

Patagonia Special (2)

8.7IMDb12 votes

Jeremy, Richard and James will take a Porsche 928, Lotus Esprit and Ford Mustang through their most grueling challenge to date: a 1600-mile trek through Patagonia to the southernmost city in the world, in order to stage an epic game of car football against Argentina. There will be swamps, deserts, forests, beaches, and ski slopes for the three V8 sports cars to suffer. There will also be broken bones, mechanical calamities and even some cows. Plus, a climax that wasn’t really on the cards.

28 Dec 201463 min
Still from Burma Special (2)

S21E07

Burma Special (2)

8.6IMDb27 votes

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May continue their journey in three ancient and barely functioning trucks, heading toward their final challenge - building a bridge over River Kwai in Thailand. Having climbed mountains and endured a Burmese trucker stop, they must now venture into the Shan state, an area rife with civil war and normally closed to Western TV crews.

16 Mar 201462 min
Still from Africa Special (1)

S19E06

Africa Special (1)

8.6IMDb11 votes

In the first of a two-part Top Gear special, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are in Africa with a simple mission - to find the definitive source of the Nile. Over the years many explorers claim to have already done just that, but the Top Gear trio believe that they can do better by travelling further and faster than any exploration team in history using only grit, ingenuity and three ageing estate cars.

3 Mar 201359 min

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The craft

Key Crew

Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.

Executive production

Writing

Direction

Where to watch

Streaming

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