Well, we have to keep a sense of humor about the whole thing -
THE FINAL TOP GEAR WHERE CLARKSON COMES CLEAN
Clarkson and Andy Wilman, the Executive Producer, own at least part of the format but BBC owns the name TOP GEAR. The original version was a straightforward motoring series that had been on since 1977. Clarkson joined the series in 1988 and actually left that version, along with Tiff Nedell and most of the rest of the presenters. BBC cancelled the series but changed its mind when rival network Channel 5 launched FIFTH GEAR, a similar series featuring most of the TOP GEAR presenters that had jumped ship.
Instead of just reviving the original format, BBC decided to try a new 1 hour studio based format created by Clarkson & Wilman in 2002. That was TOP GEAR as we know it.
Once the dust settles, I'm positive all three of the guys, Clarkson, Hammond & May, will be on another network, making substantially more than the million pounds/year they were making at BBC.