Amazon motoring show ‘to launch in fall’

James May (left) alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond

Amazon’s forthcoming motoring show from former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will launch this autumn.

May revealed the news during an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on popular content-sharing site Reddit after being asked about the broadcast date by a fan.

“The Autumn, or fall if you’re in the US. That’s as specific as I can be,” he said.

It means the as-yet-untitled show will debut slightly later than expected, with previous forecasts putting the launch in the middle of 2016.

May, Hammond and producer Andy Wilman all elected to leave the BBC’s Top Gear following the pubcaster’s decision not to renew Jeremy Clarkson’s contract after he assaulted a producer last year. Amazon then paid a reported £160m (US$226m) to hire the former Top Gear trio as well Wilman.

BBC Worldwide led its sales slate at February’s Showcase event with the revamped version of Top Gear, which is being fronted by veteran presenter Chris Evans.

Netflix is reportedly in talks to acquire the reboot, co-hosted by former Friends star Matt LeBlanc, in a move that could see it go head-to-head with Amazon’s motoring show.