Jeremy Clarkson claims BBC bosses never gave Top Gear team credit they deserved despite making £50m a year for the corporation
Jeremy said he has already noticed a difference in how Amazon operates
NO steak meal after a day’s filming isn’t the only meaty issue JEREMY CLARKSON has with the Beeb.
The presenter has revealed BBC bosses didn’t appreciate the Top Gear show he and his team made — despite it raking in more than £50million a year for the broadcaster.
He is now set to launch new programme The Grand Tour on Amazon next week with long-time co-hosts JAMES MAY and RICHARD HAMMOND.
Jeremy said he has already noticed a difference in how the shows have been received.
He told The Radio Times: “When we finish a film on The Grand Tour we send it to Amazon, and they ring us up and squeak, ‘It’s brilliant, we love it! We can’t wait! It’s so good!’
“You never got that from the BBC.”
Jeremy quit Top Gear last year after punching a producer in the face when he and the team returned to a hotel from filming and learned they were too late for a hot meal.
Hammond and May then followed Jezza out the door and the three signed up for The Grand Tour, where they’ve set the bar very high. Amazon announced yesterday that the new show will wrap up its filming at the base of the world’s tallest structure, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
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Rather than film in a studio, the team have been using a huge tent to host audiences in South Africa, Lapland, Germany, California, Scotland and, er, Whitby.
Amazon has reportedly paid £160million for 36 hour-long episodes — £4.4million a show. But Jeremy claims apart from the expensive studio location shoots, the budget is similar to what they spent while on Top Gear.
The trailer for the show has been viewed 6.3million times on YouTube since its release last month.
Jeremy is trying to play down expectations after it was packed with glamorous shots.
He added: “But they’re not going to put in the boring bits. It’s still us three, it has to have that cosiness.
“I don’t want people to expect a Marvel-type Avengers thing — it’s Last Of The Summer Wine.”
I doubt Richard will have a string belt though like Compo.
Pixie has got Lotts lined up
PIXIE LOTT has been having some down time after spending most of the year in the West End playing Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
But the pop star’s diary is soon set to become jam-packed as I recently told how she is being lined up by producers to become a coach on junior spin-off show The Voice Kids next year.
Pixie enjoyed an off-duty day in Los Angeles on Sunday and dressed down in a figure-hugging bodysuit with skinny jeans as she ran errands with her hair piled high.
She’ll be looking a lot more glamorous when she’s in the red chair.
It's been a brief affair
THE aptly named drama Brief Encounters has been dropped after just one series.
The six-parter, starring PENELOPE WILTON, ANGELA GRIFFIN, SHARON ROONEY, CHLOE PIRRIE and SOPHIE RUNDLE, followed the lives of women who became Ann Summers saleswomen in the Eighties.
Writers Oriane Messina and Fay Rusling took to Twitter to thank the five million viewers who tuned in over the summer.
They wrote: “We got drunk together, argued, laughed, cried, got sexy and fell in love. Sadly, we won’t be holidaying together next year but we hope you will come with us on our next TV adventure.”
A spokeswoman for ITV said it was a “difficult decision” to cancel the show. They must have thought it was pants.
Big role? A perk of the rob
ROB BECKETT is no fool when it comes to TV work. As well as bagging a team captain spot on More 4’s new-look 8 Out Of 10 Cats, the comic is also writing a sitcom.
And Rob has set his sights on playing the lead role.
He said: “Double bubble isn’t it. Do you think I’m mad? Give the gig to someone else? Let them get paid for my sitcom? Nah, I’m going to write the theme tune, sing the theme tune . . .
“If it doesn’t work, try something else. You can’t be scared to do stuff because of reviews or what people will think.”
Or failing that, he could go in the jungle.
Sam senses Street treat
CORONATION STREET is awash with Barlow comebacks in the aftermath of Ken’s stroke – but one returnee almost didn’t make it.
Actor SAM ROBERTSON is back as Ken’s grandson Adam after almost a decade away – but not without reservations.
After catching up on recent soap episodes, he said: “I thought EMMERDALE was fantastic when I watched it and Corrie was a bit lacklustre. I was a little bit concerned with the direction it was going in.
“I was a little underwhelmed by what I saw.”
Fortunately, the recent move to the Street by former Dale producer Kate Oates tipped the balance for Sam. He said: “This show, under Kate, will be a lot more exciting.
“I was a lot more inspired and excited by the prospect of coming back.”
Ken’s wayward son Peter was first back on the scene, just before his dad collapsed, and he is now being joined by Adam, who is the son of Ken’s nemesis Mike Baldwin and his late daughter Susan.
Also returning is estranged son Daniel, a result of Ken’s liaison with hairdresser Denise Osbourne.
Adam turns up on the cobbles in a flashy red Jaguar Mike would have loved.
The Barlows are proving to be more like buses at the moment, with Daniel turning up too.
The bookish student, played by new arrival ROB MALLARD has secrets set to stun the bulging Barlow household.
I hope there’s room for them all at No 1.