Top Gear Middle Eastern Special [ ORIGINAL — ROUNDUP ]

As they head south, the cars begin to fall apart. The air conditioning units fail, and the leather seats burn the presenters.

The Top Gear Middle East Special—officially titled the Three Wise Men Special—stands as one of the most ambitious and culturally significant episodes in the show’s history. First airing on December 26, 2010, the episode followed Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as they attempted to recreate the journey of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.

The Top Gear Middle Eastern Special is a two-part special episode of the popular British television show Top Gear, featuring Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. The episode was filmed in various locations across the Middle East, including Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

After several days of driving, the hosts finally arrive in Bahrain, where they reflect on their journey and the experiences they've had. They also have a chance to try some of the local cuisine, including a traditional Bahraini dish called "Gormeh". top gear middle eastern special

May, in the Fiat, attempted a sensible bypass route. He got stuck immediately. Hammond, laughing hysterically, drove the Golf around them—only to bury the front axle up to the headlights.

Their mission is to drive from Amman to Bahrain, covering over 1,000 miles of varied terrain, including deserts, mountains, and cities. Along the way, they encounter various challenges, including treacherous roads, sandstorms, and run-ins with local authorities.

The special was conceived after the BBC, the show's broadcaster, pulled the plug on the show's 15th season due to a controversy surrounding Jeremy Clarkson's remarks about one of the show's producers. The show's hosts were given a budget to create a special episode, and they decided to embark on a journey across the Middle East. As they head south, the cars begin to fall apart

The Rub' al Khali is a beautiful liar. It looks solid. It is not.

The Top Gear Middle Eastern Special received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising the hosts' adventurous spirit, camaraderie, and good humor. The episode was watched by over 5 million viewers in the UK alone and helped to revitalize the show's popularity.

What set the Middle East Special apart from other road trips was the backdrop. The episode provided a rare, humanizing look at regions often only seen through the lens of news reports. First airing on December 26, 2010, the episode

"One cannot describe this heat," Clarkson narrated, wiping his brow with a sock. "This is the heat you feel when you open an oven to check on a pizza, except the pizza is you, and the oven is the entire planet."

The defining moment of the special is, of course, the dune. Not a hill. A mountain of sand. Clarkson, in a fit of "power and arrogance," floored the BMW. He made it 200 meters. Then the sand swallowed the Bavarian beast whole.