No changes to Top Gear, insists BBC

29 December 2008 05:56pm

The BBC has assured Top Gear viewers that the next series will be as exciting as always, after comments that the show would be subject to budget cuts appeared on a fan site.

The website included a blog entry attributed to the BBC Two show's executive producer Andy Wilman, saying that next year's budget was being cut.

Media Guardian reported that the comments were later removed from the website and replaced by a shortened version of the entry. It quoted the blog as originally saying: "You're going to have to learn to love the turkey leftovers show even more, because next year we're getting a budget cut".

The blog added: "No point in moaning about that - all shows are suffering and nobody's got a pot to p*** in any more anyway, so no reason why we shouldn't suffer as well.

"Our problem though is that there is no fat to trim off the show, in that we waste almost nothing behind the scenes and the old cliche of every penny goes on screen is actually true."

The BBC issued a statement about the comments, which said: "Like every programme across the BBC, Top Gear is engaged in delivering efficiencies.

"But viewers can be assured that the next series will be as compelling and exciting as always, and of the same standard and quality."

Fans writing on the site - transmission.blogs.topgear.com - thought the show would still be well worth tuning into, whatever any credit crunch effects might be.

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