Top Gear: Middle East Special is a British television special which serves as a precursor to the 16th season of the motoring magazine show Top Gear which follows Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May as they attempt to follow the path of the Three Wise Men across the Middle East.
The special aired in the UK on BBC Two on 26 December, 2010. It is 90 minutes long.
Top Gear: Middle East Special originally aired in South Africa on DStv's BBC Entertainment channel on Wednesday 7 September 2011, at 20h00. It later aired on DStv's BBC Knowledge channel and on SABC3. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Top Gear: Middle East Special aired on SABC3 on Sunday 10 February 2013, at 16h30.
Synopsis
In a special extended version of the programme, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May embark on an appropriately seasonal road trip as they attempt to follow the path of the Three Wise Men across the Middle East.
They do so in a trio of open top sports cars, each wholly unsuited to the conflict ridden mountains of southern Turkey, the dangerous warzones of Iraq and the searing deserts of Syria.
The boys get dropped into Northern Iraq with two-seater sports cars bought with a budget of £3,500. They are determined to not let fear or global politics deter them from having a good time, enjoying the beauty of the region and completing their "so called gifts"-giving goal.
Along the way they test the limits of mechanical and physical endurance as well as asking the vital question, what exactly is myrrh and where do you buy it?
Seasons
Season 1
Channel: BBC Entertainment | Aired: 7 September 2011 | Wednesday, 20h00
Channel: BBC Knowledge | Aired: 6 January 2012 | Friday, 21h00
Channel: SABC3 | Aired: 10 February 2013 | Sunday, 16h30