List of Top Gear broadcasters and video releases

This is a list of Top Gear broadcasters and video releases.

Broadcasters

United Kingdom

Top Gear is first broadcast on BBC2 Sunday NiGHTS and repeated on the following Wednesday evening and again the following Saturday on BBC Three. Further repeats (of a cut version to make time for adverts) are shown on UKTV People and since extra viewing hours it is also broadcast on Dave. None of the segments in the show have been edited out, but smaller moments, such as applause, some news items and occasionally A star in a reasonably-priced car, have been trimmed.

BBC World

Top Gear is shown on BBC World, albeit in a cut form - with episodes being approx 30 to 35 minutes in length. The Star in the Reasonably Priced Car and the news segments are cut from the BBC World version.

Australia

As well as the condensed BBC World EDition being available on pay television, Australian free-to-air broadcaster SBS commenced the airing of the abridged BBC2 edition (without references to the Top Gear survey and the phone-in competitions) on December 12, 2005, starting with the 2004 series. SBS started broadcasting the 2005 series in July 2006. The series returned January 2007, alternating with MythBusters in the 7.30pm timeslot on Mondays.

From early 2007, SBS hinted that a future episode of Top Gear will be filmed in Australia. A competition asks viewers "Which car should Top Gear review in Australia and in which iconic location?"

In November 2007 SBS announced that they will be creating a completely Aussie version of Top Gear. The series will be produced by Freehand Productions, BBC Worldwide's Australasian partner. Due to air sometime in 2008. Australia is the first country in the world to secure the rights to make a local version of Top Gear.

Quote "The Australian version will feature local hosts, and won't simply replicate the UK series. SBS plans to make a program that is uniquely and quintessentially Australian," Matt Campbell said."

Source: http://topgear.sbs.com.au/

New Zealand

Since 2003 Prime TV has been showing hour-long episodes every Sunday evening. It is one of Prime's most popular shows and has a large following among both New Zealand men and women, in spite of it having a "blokish" feel about it. Top Gear episodes shown in New Zealand are on average 6 months behind the UK.

North America

In the Summer of 2005, Top Gear was shown in North America on the Discovery Channel. The American format was different from the British format, with the news and talk show segments removed entirely. Furthermore, the American versions mixed segments from different episodes from the British version. The studio segments were specially recorded for the North American viewers, even though the same set and hosts were used as the British version. These changes were made not only to target the North American audience, but to accommodate for a shorter run time (approximately 43 minutes for the American version versus 60 minutes for the British version).

Currently the North American version is no longer being produced for the Discovery Channel. However, according to fan website FinalGear.com, and citing the latest issue of Top Gear magazine, the American version pilot reportedly has made a few changes from the original British show. As noted on the site:

That’s why earlier this year a brand new TG USA production team assembled deep in the Mojave desert to create a pilot show for their version of Britain’s favourite almost-BAFTA-winning car programme. And, like their idea of what constitutes a decent cup of coffee, the American take on Top Gear wasn’t entirely the same as ours. Instead of a shabby hangar and a track built around airfield taxiways, they got a pit garage and a proper circuit. Instead of filling the studio with 200 grunting Subaru drivers, they did without an audience. And instead of The Tall One, The Short One and The Other One, they hired three rather different American presenters. Bruno, a professional drag racer with casual tales of crashing at 230 mph. John, the super keen jock, blessed with quaint ’sir and ma’am’ good manners that only Americans can do. And, Johnny, a former reality show winner with a nice line in weird humor.

But some aspects of the show may remain:

Fortunately some reference points remained, including Star In A Reasonably Priced Car. But, to set the power laps, there could be no substitute - the Stig was flown to the US and stunned everyone with his blistering pace as he hammered the CLS55, Charger, and Mustang round the circuit.

As of December 2005, Discovery Channel has not announced it plans to pick up the Americanized version of Top Gear. Recent postings on the Discovery Channel message boards from a person identified as Kristen, Program Development Discovery Channel expressed the belief that Top Gear might come back to Discovery:

I passed your comments on internally. We'll weigh them as we make a final decision. Thanks for taking the time to post!

And Top Gear fans, we're definitely hearing ya!

For Canadian viewers, BBC Canada has announced that they will soon start broadcasting the original, uncut episodes of the show originally shown on BBC2 in the UK. Also, the Science Channel has started broadcasting the American episodes of Top Gear. In addition, the BBC recently confirmed that the American Top Gear would be produced, promising that the original presenters of the British show would be hosting.

On August 10, 2007, BBC America announced that they would air episodes of Top Gear. Starting with autumn of 2007 unabridged British versions of Top Gear (apparently, from Season 8) are shown by BBC America.

Poland

Top Gear is broadcast in Poland on TVN Turbo. All the episodes are shown in their cut UKTV format. Episodes air about 2-3 weeks after they first air on BBC2.

Romania

The show is presented in Romania on Antena 3. It airs the 30 minutes show, but it is extended to almost an hour by inserting lots of commercials in it.The show runs with a delay of 1 season, and when they run out of episodes, they start over, or run randomly selecte episodes.

The Middle East

Top Gear is broadcast in the Middle East and Northern Africa on MBC Action.

The Netherlands

Top Gear is broadcast in the Netherlands on Veronica. In older episodes, the news is edited out. As Veronica is a few months behind on the BBC, many Dutch viewers prefer to watch the show on BBC2, which is generally available in the Netherlands via cable.

Sweden

In Sweden, Top Gear is broadcast on Kanal 9.

Denmark

In Denmark, Top Gear is broadcast in the American Discovery Channel format, on Viasat TV3+.

Norway

Top Gear is broadcast in the original format on NRK2 and NRK3, with Norwegian subtitles.

Canada

A 30 minute version was also aired in Canada on BBC Canada and Discovery Channel Canada. In late 2005, BBC Canada began airing a one hour version of the show. Though longer, this version was still somewhat modified in order to fit ten minutes of commercials into the timeslot.

Greece

Recent episodes of Top Gear are available on Skai TV (ΣΚΑΪ), in the original 16:9 video and English audio, with Greek subtitles.

Russia

Presently (as at late January 2007) Top Gear is being presented on NTV weekly. My last view to confirm this was that it played at 11:50 am on the 28 January 2007. A quick review of the program its self appears to be the shortened 30 minute episode not the international version by BBC world services. 28 January 2007 episode was with Richard racing the MX-5 against the greyhound Series 7 Episode 6.

Finland

Top Gear is broadcast in Finland on MTV3 channel once a week (starting from season 8) slightly edited (removed news etc.) and on chargeable MTV3 MAX twice a week in original length. Shows are subtitled in Finnish.

Estonia

Top Gear is broadcast in Estonia on TV3.

Latvia

Top Gear is broadcast in Latvia on TV6.

Lithuania

Top Gear is broadcast in Lithuania on Tango TV.

Israel

"EGO" channel (available both on HOT and Yes) broadcasts Top Gear starting from the fifth season. EGO airs its own-edited 45 minutes long version of the show. Top Gear episodes shown in Israel are on average 6 months behind those aired in the UK.

Hong Kong

Top Gear is broadcast in Hong Kong via ATV World.

DVD and VHS releases

• Top Gear - Back in the Fast Lane - The Best of Series One and Two - October 27, 2003
• Top Gear - Revved Up - June 6, 2005
• Top Gear - Winter Olympics - June 5, 2006
• Top Gear - The Challenges - June 4, 2007

See also

• Top Gear