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Abu Dhabi in line for Top Gear live event

September 2, 2008 8:58 by kippreport

Abu Dhabi is in negotiations to host a live version of the BBC’s Top Gear show. Reports from the UK say the UAE capital (new owners of Manchester City and hosts to Formula 1 from next year) is in line to host an event in year two.

The first series of the live events, launched yesterday in London, will visit 10 cities around the world, including Sydney, Johannesburg, Auckland and Hong Kong. Abu Dhabi, which was the location for a Top Gear shoot in May, will run with Moscow and Stuttgart in year two. Each location will host at least 10 shows, says the Guardian, with Top Gear Live playing to a total of more than 300,000 people.

The paper says UK events will charge up to $200 for to see the 75-minute live show, where the presenters will play host to up to 16 “segments” including a live Top Gear lap challenge – where a member of the audience will race around a purpose-built track.

Host Jeremy Clarkson said the idea for a live tour was born last year when the presenters were performing in South Africa. “There was a huge demand from all over the world for us to go and perform. This is an opportunity to come and watch us three cocking about,” he said.

Top Gear, shown in the Middle East on MBC Action, is the first of up to 20 global “superbrands” that BBC Worldwide, the corporation’s commercial arm, has targeted as potential revenue-generating machines across television, the internet, publishing and live events.

Tags: Abu Dhabi, BBC, car, event, live, Manchester city, Middle East, Top Gear, TV