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Monday, February 3, 2020

#CruisingPeachy #SmallScreenScenes TOP GEAR AMERICA, STARRING DAX SHEPARD, ROB CORDDRY AND JETHRO BOVINGDON, REVS UP PRODUCTION FOR THE MOTORTREND APP

MotorTrend Group announced today the official production kick off date of January 26, 2020, for its highly-anticipated, all-new U.S. version of TOP GEAR, TOP GEAR AMERICA. The series, hosted by Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry and Jethro Bovingdon, comes to the MotorTrend App, the only subscription streaming service dedicated entirely to the motoring world, in 2020. TOP GEAR AMERICA is produced by the Los Angeles production office of global content leader, BBC Studios.

TOP GEAR AMERICA will deliver a fresh, uniquely American take on the classic TOP GEAR format, following the motorized mischief and supercharged adventures of Shepard, Corddry and Bovingdon across America. Every episode will explore a different entertaining journey into car culture from an American point-of-view. Whether they’re mud bogging in the south, driving super cars in Wyoming, drag racing in southern California or partaking in the hand built, custom hot rod scene, TOP GEAR AMERICA endeavors to explore it all.

“TOP GEAR AMERICA is going to be a great ride, in great company,” said Alex Wellen, global president and general manager of MotorTrend Group. “MotorTrend is proud to be producing this new chapter in American car culture. Dax, Rob and Jethro share a passion for cars. We’re excited to bring them together for this uniquely American take on this iconic global brand and send them off on the ultimate car adventure.”

“Dax, Rob and Jethro will each bring their unique views on the auto industry to TOP GEAR AMERICA, with a mix of entertainment, expertise and skill. BBC Studios is ecstatic for fans to experience and watch this bold and fresh version of TOP GEAR AMERICA that all TOP GEAR fans deserve,” added Matt Forde, Managing Director, International Production & Formats, BBC Studios.

When production kicks off on January 26, Shepard, Corddry and Bovingdon will dive head first into southern California hot rodding history. With a modest budget they’ll each purchase a hot rod and race against the Stig and his 1980s era police cruiser. The TOP GEAR AMERICA hosts also will get behind the wheel of some of the most iconic high-performance vehicles on the planet for a comparative, enlightening joy ride.

TOP GEAR is the world’s biggest motoring entertainment show. The original British version of the show debuted in its current format in 2002, and has reached an estimated audience of 350 million viewers worldwide in more than 200 territories. Across its 25+ seasons the show has thrilled viewers globally with its unique blend of entertainment, humor and car knowledge. TOP GEAR is a fast-paced and stunt-filled automotive show that tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary, live up to their manufacturers’ claims. The long running series travels to locations around the world, performing extreme and often utterly pointless stunts and challenges to see what the featured cars can do and how much fun you can have with them. Celebrities including Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Will Smith have all appeared as guests in a regular segment where they set a lap time on the famous TOP GEAR track in an ordinary, everyday car. TOP GEAR (UK) has had many celebrity hosts including Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, Matt LeBlanc, and the current cast of Paddy McGuinness, Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris.

The MotorTrend App offers nearly 8,000 episodes and roughly 4,000 hours of world-leading automotive series and specials including the most complete collection of classic TOP GEAR (200+ episodes and specials spanning seasons one thru 25), and every season of WHEELER DEALERS, ROADKILL, FAST N’ LOUD, GARAGE REHAB, OVERHAULIN’, BITCHIN’ RIDES and many more. The MotorTrend App is available for Prime Video customers in the U.S. on Prime Video Channels and on Amazon FireTV in addition to other media players and streaming devices including the Facebook video subscription service, Apple TV, Roku, Google Chromecast and on the web, as well as across iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices.

TOP GEAR AMERICA is produced for the MotorTrend App by BBC Studios. Craig Armstrong is showrunner and Travis Shakespeare is executive producer for BBC Studios. For MotorTrend Group, Levi Rugg is executive producer. Mike Suggett is head of programming and development, and Alex Wellen is global president and general manager for MotorTrend Group.

About MotorTrend Group

MotorTrend Group is the largest automotive media company in the world, bringing together Discovery’s fast-growing MotorTrend TV, formerly Velocity, and a vast automotive digital, direct-to-consumer, social, and live event portfolio, including MOTORTREND, HOT ROD, ROADKILL, AUTOMOBILE, and more than 20 other industry-leading brands. With a monthly audience of 26 million across web, TV, and print, and 110 million social followers, culminating in 2 billion monthly content views across all platforms, the company encompasses television’s #1 network for automotive superfans, a leading automotive YouTube Channel, and the MotorTrend App, the only auto-dedicated subscription video-on-demand service. MotorTrend serves to embrace, entertain, and empower the motoring world.

About Discovery

Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Formed in April 2018 by the merger of BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios, it spans content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries. BBC Studios’ award-winning British programs are internationally recognized across a broad range of genres and specialties. It has offices in 22 markets globally, including seven production bases in the UK and production bases and partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which makes over 2,500 hours of content a year, is a champion for British creativity around the world and a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector.

In the Americas, BBC Studios operates two production units – one in Los Angeles, responsible for ratings juggernaut and Emmy®-nominated Dancing with the Stars and multi-award-winning Life Below Zero, and the other in Brazil, where local productions Dancing Brasil and Bake Off Brasil have become breakout hits. The company manages joint venture relationships with AMC Networks for flagship channel BBC AMERICA (U.S.) – home of original series Killing Eve and global brands Dynasties, Doctor Who, and Top Gear – and with ITV for SVoD service BritBox (U.S./Canada), as well as strategic partnerships in Canada with Blue Ant Media for BBC Earth Channel and Corus for BBC Canada. The company also boasts a franchise management business and a robust linear and digital content sales and co-productions operation.

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