Top Gear could be making the transition from BBC Two to a juicy Sunday prime time slot on BBC One, it has been claimed.

The show, which recently announced a seven presenter line-up including Chris Evans, Matt Le Blanc and Sabine Schmitz, is due to return for an eight part run later this year. And, despite early and persistent rumours of numerous disasters on set, it is looking like it could be a success, despite having lost Jeremy Clarkson.

And Chris Evans and his team have more than a reason than ever to give it their best shot, with a BBC Insider telling the Mirror that if it performs well on its initial return, it will be moved into a slot which follows BBC ratings titan Countryfile.



The source explained: ‘The feeling is it is best to see how the show goes in May. If it hits the ratings threshold they will press ahead with the move next year. It would have been too much of a gamble this year.’


It is expected that it would need to secure around five million viewers on its return to justify the risk of a move to the main Beeb channel. It would be in a lineup which also includes another ratings winner, Antiques Roadshow.

Countryfile continues to surprise us all by continuing to grow in popularity, often pulling in around nine million viewers on Sunday evenings. And the BBC could be on to a winner if they schedule Top Gear straight afterwards.

The last time the channel had success in poaching a BBC Two hit was with Great British Bake Off which was last year’s most watched show on television.

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A BBC spokesperson has played down the rumours of a Top Gear move however, saying that it is ‘too early’ to discuss the plans for next year.

Clarkson, meanwhile, is currently working on a rival car show for Amazon Prime alongside Richard Hammond and James May.

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