Top Gear hit by budget cuts, next series to be a cheaper afair

[sako97]

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UK’s Top Gear series will be hit by budget cuts meaning the next series will be a “cheaper affair and viewers will notice the difference.” According to Andy Wilman, the shows executive producer, the budget cuts will go into effect in 2009.
In a typical Top Gear tone, Wilman said: “No point in moaning about that - all shows are suffering… so no reason why we shouldn’t suffer as well.”
“Our problem, though, is that there is no fat to trim off the show, in that we waste almost nothing behind the scenes and the old cliche of every penny goes on screen is actually true.

The cuts come from BBC as a response to a lower than expected licence fee settlement.
Source: Telegraph

 

[Giannis]

I wonder in what way are we gonna notice the budget cuts. Less fancy cars, less Top Gear Races, less what?

 

[LaArtist]

^less trips and crazy explosions i think..
if they cut the fancy cars..they will be making a huge misstake

 

[sako97]

We all love the incredibly well produced segments on BBC's Top Gear. The photography is amazing, the settings are spectacular and Jeremy Clarkson is bombastic. The only problem with all of that is that it costs big bucks. Flying to San Francisco and then buying a Challenger SRT-8 when Chrysler won't loan you one for a week costs money. Budgets are getting slashed everywhere and the BBC is no exception. As much we'd like to think that Top Gear would be a top priority and therefore have a blank check, it just ain't so.

Producer Andy Wilman has said that while the show's budget is large, there isn't really any waste and not much they can cut. That means the budget cuts will be noticeable in the show. It's not clear exactly how much the budget is being cut or where the cuts will be made. Less travel and fewer stunts like the recent Fiesta versus Corvette mall chase are likely to be the result. Perhaps they should get the new shows on BBC America quicker so we can see them with the ads instead of having to rely on YouTube. Or even put the show on iTunes as it comes out.

[Source: The Telegraph]

 

[Centurion]

2009 is going to be a very dark year. Don't worry about the fancy cars they'll still be there what will be cut down on, is the highly entertaining non-sense challanges and tests involving blowing things up, slicing cars into pieces and wrecking things.

 

[VroomVroom]

Ive already noticed the cut downs in this series!

A lot more boring

 

[ateekt]

Ouch! So where they're heading next? India for Tata or to Russia for Gaz?

 

[cawimmer430]

No!!!!!!!!!!

Now what? Are we going to see bonus episodes of Coronation Street and East Enders in its place!?

 

[Tarek]

An inevitable outcome.Sad.

 

[Remy Zero]

i just watched the Vietnam Special yesterday. really good and funny.

 

[VroomVroom]