The start date for Top Gear 2020 has been confirmed as the show moves to BBC One for what will be its 29th series.
News of the move was first announced at the start of this year.
Top Gear will launch on BBC One on Sunday, October 4 at 8PM with a new five-part season.
Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness return to the show which the BBC say attracted an average consolidated audience of 3.8 million viewers last year on BBC Two, making it the channel’s most popular programme of 2019.
The start of the most recent series pulled in an audience of more than 4.3 million (consolidated), the highest for the show in four years.
Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content said of the channel move: “The time is right to move the world’s best motor show to the nation’s most popular channel and bring it to an even broader audience on BBC One.
“Freddie, Paddy and Chris have revitalised the hit series with their escapades and banter; and we couldn’t have asked for a better response to their series so far and the impact it’s had with young audiences.”
Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two commented: “Revitalising Top Gear was one of my biggest priorities when I took over BBC Two and seeing Paddy, Fred and Chris make the show their own has been an utter joy.
“From Peaky Blinders to Line Of Duty and now Top Gear, BBC Two is a place where unique shows can evolve and thrive before moving to even broader audiences on BBC One, it’s a vital part of the BBC portfolio.”
Ralph Lee, Director of Content at BBC Studios Production, added: “This is a huge compliment to the entire team behind Top Gear who continually deliver some of the most jaw-dropping TV in the world.
“Paddy, Freddie and Chris’s effortless chemistry and humour has struck a chord with audiences of every age and taken the show somewhere special – so I suspect things will get bigger, better, and crazier when we arrive on BBC One.”
You can watch episodes online or catch up in full via the BBC iPlayer.
