AXED Top Gear series was MOST POPULAR show on iPlayer
THE latest series of Top Gear was the MOST VIEWED show on BBC iPlayer in the weeks before it was cut from the TV schedule, BBC data has revealed.
Jeremy Clarkson's final series of Top Gear topped the list of most popular shows on iPlayer.
The penultimate episode of the hit motoring show clocked more than two MILLION views.
The most popular episode of BBC flagship show The Voice only mustered HALF the number of views during the same period.
The BBC remake of Poldark also proved popular throughout March – with the first episode earning some 1.2million requests.
Top Gear was watched more than 3.6million times in the same month.
But the 22nd series was unceremoniously cut from the BBC schedule after it emerged Clarkson had attacked producer Oisin Tymon.
The row is believed to have taken place because no hot food was provided after a Top Gear shoot in Yorkshire.
Me and Hammond with a surrogate Jeremy is a non-starter. It has to be the three of us
Clarkson was suspended on 10 March following the 'fracas'.
After an internal inquiry decided that the Top Gear producer was subjected to an "unprovoked physical and verbal attack" by Clarkson.
As a result, the broadcaster took the decision not to renew Clarkson's contract.
Co-presenter James May – who first appeared on Top Gear in 1999 – said continuing on the show without Clarkson would be "a bit of a daft idea".
"Me and Hammond with a surrogate Jeremy is a non-starter. It has to be the three of us," he told the Guardian.
Top Gear co-creator Andy Wilman has also left the hugely-successful motoring show following Clarkson's departure.
The executive producer – who was instrumental in the creation of the revamped series – met with May, Clarkson and co-star Richard Hammond earlier this week.
The trio were snapped heading to a three-hour meeting which will fuel speculation that they could be planning their next career move.
A number of unconfirmed reports suggest the Top Gear will return under a new name with a new broadcaster.
Netflix and Amazon Prime are believed to be courting the team.
