BBC Studios signs licensing deal with Colors Infinity for Top Gear

Global content company BBC Studios has announced a licensing deal with Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., which will see the latest series of ‘Top Gear’ air on the network’s premium English entertainment channel — Colours Infinity. The deal for the motoring entertainment show was revealed at Showcase, BBC Studios’ trade event held in Liverpool each year.

This multi-platform deal with Viacom18 will make Series 27 of Top Gear available to Indian viewers.

Top Gear is the longest-running motoring entertainment show, which has had a huge global following across 200+ territories, making it one of the most widely watched factual TV programmes. The series features gruelling challenges, epic adventures and state-of-the-art supercars with a hint of mayhem, humour and mischief.

Series 27 introduces a shiny new presenter line-up, with comedian and TV presenter Paddy McGuinness and cricketing legend Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff joining motoring journalist Chris Harris. Also back in the driving seat is the white-suited professional driver, known as The Stig.

Top Gear will take viewers to the brutal heat of the Ethiopian desert, the sweltering Borneo rainforest, the wilds of Iceland and the pedestrianised shopping district of a British market town. The team tackle the fastest, hottest, toughest Top Gear challenges to date, pushing their cars and themselves to the limits. At the Top Gear test track, a fresh batch of celebrities demonstrate their driving prowess (or lack thereof) and face challenges set by the presenters.

The new presenting line-up has been a hit with fans and their debut series on BBC Two in June last year, was particularly well received in the UK, with an average consolidated audience of 3.8 million.  Following the success of their first series together, the trio have recently returned to UK screens with even higher audience ratings, with the new series permiere opening to a consolidated audience of more than 4.3 million, the highest in over four years. In between, they also filmed the Top Gear Nepal Special, which saw Freddie, Paddy and Chris embark on an epic high-altitude voyage from Kathmandu to the Forbidden City of Lo Manthang, thrilling UK audiences when it aired in December.

Stanley Fernandes, Vice-President, Distribution for BBC Studios South Asia, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Viacom18 to bring the latest series of Top Gear to India. Audiences are going to love the new line-up taking control of the wheel and taking the series to another level. Expect plenty of thrills, spills and laughs.”

Ferzad Palia, Head, Voot Select, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “Indian viewers are big fans of fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping automotive content. Globally, Top Gear is recognised as the most popular motoring entertainment show, and we’re thrilled to showcase Series 27 of this iconic show to viewers in India. Adding another genre to our bouquet of offering, Viacom18 continues to deliver the best of English entertainment to its audience.”

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