This sounds like a lot of fun: BBC America has greenlighted a ‘vehicle transformation series’ called Mud, Sweat & Gears. Co-hosts, UK journalists and real-life friends Tom ‘Wookie’ Ford and Jonny Smith will captain teams of three who will be tasked with mutating, supersizing or reconstructing ordinary vehicles and engage in competitive stunt challenges that are perilous and humorous. Further complicating matters – and adding a bit of extra pressure – they will only have 24 hours to complete the transformation.
Production on the series begins next month in California. Mud, Sweat & Gears will premiere following Top Gear, the premiere date to be revealed later.
BBC AMERICA GREENLIGHTS NEW ORIGINAL SERIES MUD, SWEAT & GEARS
New York – February 27, 2014 – BBC AMERICA has given the green light to adrenaline-charged vehicle transformation series, Mud, Sweat & Gears. The (8×60) original series, produced by BBC Worldwide Productions for BBC AMERICA and BBC Worldwide’s new Brit channel, will be hosted by Tom ‘Wookie’ Ford and Jonny Smith, two real-life friends and UK car journalists. Each week, the daredevil pair will work as rival team captains, each accompanied by a team of two fellow car enthusiasts. They will have 24 hours to mutate, supersize or reconstruct ordinary vehicles and engage in competitive stunt challenges that are perilous and humorous. Nathaniel Grouille is executive producer and showrunner for the series and Trice Barto is executive producer. Michael Brooks and Jane Tranter are executive producers for BBC Worldwide Productions and Julie Swanston for BBC Worldwide. The production begins shooting next month in California.
Mud, Sweat & Gears is a BBC AMERICA original production co-produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and BBC Worldwide, distributed by BBC Worldwide. The series was ordered by Perry Simon, General Manager, BBC AMERICA and Tracy Forsyth, VP Commissioning, Original Content for BBC Worldwide.
Perry Simon, General Manager, BBC AMERICA said: “Mud, Sweat & Gears is a perfect fit for BBC AMERICA’s Top Gear-driven Monday night lineup, where we’ve built an audience that loves joining clever hosts engaging in humorous challenges and activities. BBC Worldwide Productions has created a series to showcase the talents of hosts Wookie and Jonny and will be delivered to a global audience through our partnership with BBC Worldwide Channels."
Tracy Forsyth, VP Commissioning, Original Content, BBC Worldwide added: “We’re so pleased to be working with our BBC AMERICA and BBC Worldwide Productions colleagues on this original co-production, giving our car hungry viewers around the globe, a turbo-charged, stunt-packed ‘carmageddon,’ with the unmistakable British humor of Wookie and Jonny at the wheel.”
Mud, Sweat & Gears will premiere on BBC AMERICA following hit series Top Gear which, in its 21st season, is on target for its highest rated season yet in the US. Mud, Sweat & Gears will also launch across the BBC’s international channels and is the first original commission to be announced for BBC Brit – the new male-skewing factual entertainment channel due to launch in several worldwide markets outside of the US in 2014.
Mud, Sweat & Gears follows in the footsteps of the second season of BBC AMERICA’s original series Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan, which is also co-produced by BBC Worldwide‘s global channels. The series joins BBC AMERICA’s slate of new unscripted programming including Top Gear, Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan, BBC AMERICA’s new BBC Earth block of natural history programs, The Graham Norton Show and upcoming original series Million Dollar Critic starring Giles Coren.
NOTES TO EDITORS
BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including two Emmy® Awards, five Golden Globes® and eleven Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable’s most affluent and educated audiences and is available on cable and satellite TV in 80 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist. Find out more by following us on www.twitter.com/bbcamerica.
BBC Worldwide Productions is a key business under BBC Worldwide North America, the U.S. division of the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), BBC Worldwide. Led by Jane Tranter, BBC Worldwide Productions is based in Los Angeles and develops and produces scripted and non-scripted projects for U.S. cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. The production company is responsible for various titles including the upcoming Criminal Justice (HBO) and Intruders (BBC AMERICA) as well as Getting On (HBO), Americans in Bed (HBO), Top Gear (HISTORY), What Not to Wear (TLC) and the cultural phenomenon, Dancing with the Stars (ABC).
About BBC Worldwide Ltd. BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximize profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercializing and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity. In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview
Photo courtesy of BBC America