Topic: Hammond and May could become BBC's top earners

[Simon]

Richard Hammond and James May are set to become the highest paid stars at the BBC, after the corporation offered them a massive combined wage of £9.2million for two more series of Top Gear.

The £4.6million pay-packet that each would receive for the shows is double the amount previously thought. 

It shows the extreme lengths to which the corporation is willing to go to to save the cult show.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3113274/BBC-offered-Hammond-9MILLION-present-two-series-Gear-without-Clarkson.html

[Clive]

I'm amazed that they would stump up that sort of money for a show that attracts fewer than 5 million viewers.  The six million dollar question is will it be as good without Clarkson whose absence will be accentuated by the appearance of his erstwhile companions?  Perhaps they might have been wiser to start all over again with new presenters.

[Simon]

I guess it's the worldwide sales they are considering.  Although, I think you're right, and the show won't be worth peanuts without Clarkson. 

[Simon]

And, it seems they're turning down the BBC's offer anyway:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/top-gears-richard-hammond-james-5836424

[Clive]

Netflix?     Eleven million people subscribe to Netflix outside of the UK and their most popular programme was House of Cards with 3% of their subscribers watching it.  How the mighty have fallen.   

[Simon]

Indeed, and it means viewers would have to pay to watch the programme.

[Clive]

Well, say the UK takes a fifth of the 11 million Netflix subscribers outside the USA, we will have say 2 million UK subscribers.  Even if 10% pay to watch that leaves just 200,000 viewers.  And no publicity which is what they all need so badly to boost their inflated egos. 

[Simon]

I'd have thought they'd be much better off going to ITV, but I think there are concerns about possible constraints regarding what they can say about certain cars which may be advertised on the channel.

[Clive]

They really have shot themselves in the foot as far as I can see.  They had carte blanche to do as they pleased on the BBC and had the best production team in the world.  It will be a shadow of its former glory on Netflix.