Last night the season finale of the BBC's hugely popular motoring show 'Top Gear' aired. The episode served as a swan song for the show's current trio of presenters: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May who are departing the program in a highly publicized divorce that has spanned most of this year.
Clarkson, who has presented the show for nearly 30 years, was the first to leave after being axed by the network in February after punching a producer. Hammond and May, who have co-presented the show with him for the past 12 seasons, turned down lucrative contract extensions in April in order to follow him to his new venture. The Network recently announced that BBC Radio 1 DJ has been brought on to replace the trio.
Two days before the final episode was set to air, Clarkson took to his column in the Sun Newspaper to share his thoughts on the upcoming show, calling it "cobbled together". The 75 minute finale was made from two separate films that were shot while he was still employed by the BBC. Clarkson said that "one of them is quite good."
The show wasted no time acknowledging Clarkson's absence. In a hilarious stunt, the Top Gear studio was filled with a literal 10 ft. tall 'Elephant in the Room'. James May quipped that the plastic replica was named Jeremy.
Right after the credits rolled, Clarkson took to his official Twitter account to apologize to the show's fans for the unfortunate way his tenure came to an end: "Many many thanks for all your support and encouragement over the years. So sad and sorry it's ended like this."
Hammond also took to Twitter saying: "Can't believe that one life has room to accommodate the first and the last steps of that incredible adventure. Thanks for your company."
Though no figures have yet to be released, the episode is predicted by many to shatter viewership records.
