Top Gear - Middle East Special [upd] Full Episode Now
The episode's production was nearly as dramatic as the on-screen adventure. Filming took place in October 2010, and the crew was given unprecedented access to Israel. The presenters entered Israel from Jordan, driving their distinctive convertibles, which had been modified for the journey with details like camouflage paint and a nargileh (water pipe) attached to one door.
Officially titled (Series 16, Episode 0), this 75-minute epic follows Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as they attempt to retrace the path of the Three Wise Men. Armed with three cheap, crumbling convertibles and a £3,500 budget, the trio set off from the holy city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, aiming to reach the birthplace of Jesus: Bethlehem in the West Bank.
The narrative framework of the Middle East Special is brilliant in its simplicity: the trio must re-enact the journey of the Three Wise Men. top gear - middle east special full episode
"The Fiat is a disaster," Jeremy admitted, pouring water over his smoking engine. "But it has character."
The answer is yes, but for different reasons. The Grand Tour on Amazon had a Hollywood budget. The Middle East Special had a pub-crawl budget. The former is a blockbuster; the latter is a documentary about three men having a nervous breakdown in a desert. The Middle East Special captures a moment in time (post-Iraq War, pre-Arab Spring) that cannot be remade. The genuine fear in their eyes when they see a military checkpoint is not acting. The episode's production was nearly as dramatic as
This special also served a hidden purpose for the show. The concept of "Baby Stig" was introduced as a plot device to transition to a new Stig following the departure of Ben Collins, the driver who had portrayed the character.
Details on the made to the MX-5, Barchetta, and Z3 A guide on how to visit the filming locations safely today Officially titled (Series 16, Episode 0), this 75-minute
: The final leg took them through the Sea of Galilee (Ein Gev) and the Mount of Olives to reach Bethlehem. Ending and "Gifts"
Upon arriving at the stable, the "baby Jesus" was famously revealed to be a baby version of The Stig .
Instead of camels, the presenters opted for cheap, second-hand, two-door sports cars, embarking on a grueling 1,200-mile (1,900 km) trek starting from Iraqi Kurdistan and ending in Bethlehem.
The Top Gear Middle East Special remains one of the most ambitious and culturally significant episodes in the history of the BBC franchise. Released during Series 16, this feature-length adventure saw the iconic trio—Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May—attempting to follow the path of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.
