Throughout its run, they’ve been mocked, accused of wrongdoing, and thrown out of a few countries, but the team just keeps on going. Undoubtedly, due to the money they’re earning, but also because of the amazingly cool job they have.
Although, it has to be somewhat about the money, especially since Clarkson and Producer Andy Wilman are considering an offer of $18.8 million to keep the show going. But just how much has Top Gear netted the trio over the years. The Daily Mail breaks it down for you.
Clarkson is definitely the most well off of the group. That, however, comes down mainly to the fact that he co-owned the rights to the show with Producer Andy Wilman. Clarkson then sold off his share of the show in 2013 to the BBC, which netted him $20.5 million. Add to that his annual salary for TopGear, $2.3 million, and all the other forms of revenue he has and he’s worth somewhere in the neighborhood of around $50 million.
Next up is Hammond. He, like Clarkson, has multiple forms of income and is always doing something besides Top Gear. However, his annual salary of $785,000 from the show is quite a bit less than Clarkson’s, but has turned his celebrity into a very successful career. That means he is in no way hurting for money with a net worth of around $25 million.
Lastly, Mr. James May. Unlike the other two, James picks and chooses smaller productions to lend his face to, and due to that, he has the lowest net worth of just $15 million. That obviously is no small sum, particularly when you consider what we all make. (We’ll give you a hint, we eat a lot of Ramen.)
In addition to their salaries and all other forms of income, the boys have quite an extensive car collection that appears to rotate so often that no one is absolutely sure of what they have at the moment. We can say for certain that May has a 458, Hammond has a GT3, and Clarkson has Range Rover, but that’s all that we can confirm.
Whether you love them or hate them, you can’t disagree with that they’ve made an impact in almost every single automotive enthusiasts life. Top Gear has become a global phenomenon and they are certainly reaping the rewards. Although, we’d settle just for our own airport track.