Chris Evans' Top Gear 'is bigger global hit than Jeremy Clarkson version'

Chris Evans’ Top Gear may have been a ratings flop in the UK, but abroad it is proving to be a bigger hit than Jeremy Clarkson’s version of the show.

Top Gear is considered to be the BBC’s biggest global brand with sales of the TV show, DVDs, books, live shows and other merchandise thought to be worth more than £50m a year.

The head of the corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, has said Top Gear remains on track as an international brand.

“I am very happy with programme sales,” said the BBC Worldwide chief executive, Tim Davie. “[Chris Evans’s Top Gear] has sold into over 130 territories which is very strong and marginal growth versus the previous season [Clarkson’s last].”

Davie said that although there had been “ups and downs” with Top Gear’s ratings, the show remains a financial cash cow.

“It is absolutely the case I think that Top Gear remains in very good health,” he said. “It is a work in progress and we will have to see how it goes. I remain optimistic about Top Gear and its growth potential over the coming years.”

BBC Worldwide, which said it has not yet confirmed Christmas DVD plans for Top Gear, has also seen success with local versions such as Top Gear China which drew 300m-plus views on digital services.

It said there were no plans to revive Top Gear Live, the international live event tour that was mothballed following the departure of Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

Davie received total remuneration last year of £664,000, including a bonus of £224,000, despite BBC Worldwide profits shrinking.

BBC Worldwide saw headline profits fall from £139m to £134m and total sales rise 3% to £1.02bn.

The amount of cash returned to help support the licence fee funded BBC fell from £227m to £222m.

BBC Worldwide justified Davie’s payout pointing out that stripping out the impact of the sale of almost half of BBC America to Walking Dead and Breaking Bad broadcaster AMC, meant underlying profits actually rose almost 5% and returns to the BBC were up 18%.

“We could probably have pushed for more profit but then we couldn’t have done things like launch [digital service] BBC Store and not close down [unprofitable] channels,” said Davie. “What I’m really proud of is the amount of returns to the BBC. At £222m it is the highest-ever amount without a boost from a disposal [of an asset].”

Davie pointed out that to achieve the boost in revenue and profits BBC Worldwide had to make up the loss of £37m in revenue and £10m in profit that AMC now enjoys as co-owner of BBC America.

Davie reiterated that BBC Worldwide has no interest in selling its 50% stake in UKTV, which co-owner Scripps has pursued in the past with offers of about £500m.

“We have a very successful partnership with Scripps,” said Davie.

Gold and Dave owner UKTV, which pays half its profits to BBC Worldwide and tens of millions of pounds annually to get first option on re-runs of BBC shows like Top Gear, accounts for about a third of BBC Worldwide’s total profits.

Some critics have argued that BBC Worldwide, which cut 11% of its workforce and employs about 1,800 staff globally, could be better run if it was sold off by the corporation.

“I think that the strength of BBC Worldwide is absolutely linkage to BBC intellectual property,” said Davie. “We account for 13% of TV programme investment for the whole of the BBC. BBC Worldwide is best as part of the overall BBC, delivering maximum value for licence fee payers.”