The new show from former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond could be called Gear Knobs, according to trademarks registered by a law firm closely associated with Clarkson.
The former hosts have kept silent on the subject of a name for their new TV series since they signed a reported £160 million deal to make a new car show for Amazon Prime earlier this year.
After months of speculation, the trio announced they had signed with Amazon on 30 June. Just two weeks earlier, Clarkson’s law firm Olswang quietly registered the trademark “Gear Knobs”, ensuring it can be used for television shows and all manner of merchandise relating to driving and cars.
The application was filed through a shell company called Newincco 1361, which has also registered the less subtle “Gear Nobs”.
The timing suggests that the filing was not the result of Amazon’s input, and only last month Amazon Instant Video boss Roy Price said the team were still struggling to find a name for the show.
However, it would be in tune with the laddish approach taken by the presenters, and a challenge to the BBC, which plans to continue making Top Gear with a new presenter lineup led by Chris Evans.
Olswang has acted in a similar capacity before for Clarkson. The company registered the company name Bedder 6, which was founded by Clarkson and Top Gear producer Andy Wilman to control the intellectual rights to the show until it was sold back to the BBC in 2012.
Clarkson was dropped by the BBC after he punched a producer during recording for the most recent series of the show.
Source: BuzzFeed
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