Top Gear - Middle East Special [2021] Full Episode Jun 2026
Share about the production challenges
The car choices highlighted the distinct (and often deeply flawed) personalities of the hosts:
The Top Gear Middle East Special is widely regarded as one of the greatest episodes in the history of the franchise. Airing as a Boxing Day special in 2010 to kick off Series 16, this feature-length episode transcended the boundaries of a standard motoring show. It transformed Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May from automotive journalists into three wise men embarking on an epic, cross-continental journey.
May suffered a severe concussion and was rushed to a local hospital. The accident was kept in the final edit, highlighting the genuine dangers the crew faced during these international road trips. Cultural Impact and Legacy top gear - middle east special full episode
The trio buys three used, convertible two-seater sports cars for £3,500 each and attempts to drive from northern Iraq (Erbil) to the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, through Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank.
Reaching Bethlehem, they presented "gifts": gold-relief for James, hotel shampoo for Richard (as frankincense), and a Nintendo DS for Jeremy (replacing myrrh). The "Baby Jesus" in the manger was revealed to be a A Bittersweet Time Capsule
May chose a more refined German sports car. Equipped with a straight-six engine, the Z3 offered superior comfort but plagued May with suspension damage and clearance issues when navigating unpaved desert tracks. The Route and Major Milestones Share about the production challenges The car choices
Presented as a Christmas special, the trio was tasked with purchasing second-hand two-door convertible sports cars for under £3,500. Their journey began in , after being dropped off by a Russian cargo plane with no prior knowledge of their starting location. Car Selected Jeremy Clarkson Mazda MX-5 Richard Hammond Fiat Barchetta Riviera James May The Route: From Iraq to Bethlehem
In a final comedic twist, the "baby" in the manger was revealed to be a miniature version of their mysterious test driver, , wearing a tiny white racing helmet and firesuit. Cult Impact and Legacy
In one of the most tense and famous moments of the episode, the trio had to navigate their sports cars across the Israeli border through a heavily fenced, active minefield. May suffered a severe concussion and was rushed
To torment Hammond, Clarkson and May rigged his car stereo to play songs by the band
During filming in Syria, May suffered a concussion after being knocked over by a tow rope. He was famously collected from the hospital by Clarkson and Hammond, who were disguised in burqas.
A: Not for you. For them? Absolutely. They were shot at (warning shots), detained at gunpoint (briefly), and Clarkson was once surrounded by an angry mob.
Unlike jungle or polar specials, the Middle East tests cars against heat, sand, and poor roads. The breakdowns (especially Clarkson’s Fiat) become comedic plot points, reinforcing the show’s central trope: unreliable, characterful cars are more entertaining than perfect ones.
The episode begins in Iraq, a starting location kept secret from the presenters until they landed. The producers handed the trio a budget of £3,500 each to buy an open-top sports car. Their mission? Drive from Iraq, through Turkey, Syria, and Jordan, to reach Bethlehem. The Cars Chosen by the Trio:
