After a resignation email of his was made public last month, “Top Gear” executive producer Andy Wilman claimed it was not a resignation. But that minor technicality was taken care of this week when Wilman officially quit the BBC’s “Top Gear” program – and then was immediately spotted meeting up at a pub with the show’s other main personalities – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – presumably to begin discussions on what options they will have to refresh their motoring show collaboration on another television network or in another format or even on the BBC under another name.
The only plot lines in this motoring soap opera that have been clarified at this point are that Clarkson has been released from his “Top Gear” contract – but not banned or fired by the BBC [meaning he can – potentially – still work for the Beeb in a non-“Top Gear” manner] after his now-infamous “fracas” with a show producer. Both his co-presenters, Richard Hammond and James May indicated to the BBC that they would not be interested in continuing on with the show without Clarkson and both of their contracts have now expired [though the BBC is still trying to woo May to be on their planned new version of “Top Gear”].
With Wilman’s now-official departure from the show, the quartet are now free to pursue their options and with Clarkson previously dropping hints that he would have a busy summer, it is suspected that a plan either already is or is in the process of being formulated and the pub meeting is the beginning of launch procedures before an announcement in the near future.
The BBC has previously announced that they will show footage from the three “lost” episodes – Episodes 8, 9 and 10, which were not shown after Clarkson’s “fracas” – of “Top Gear” Series 22 as one “Top Gear” special in Summer 2015.