Top Gear UK's Richard Hammond starring in a new show

[Kompresshun]

BBC America gave the go-ahead for two new shows today, one being Hard Drive starring Top Gear UK presenter Richard Hammond. According to the story below, it will be a 6 episode series, that will involve Hammond traveling to the US to drive various vehicles and competing with local experts.

BBC America has greenlighted its first two unscripted series, Would You Rather with Graham Norton and Hard Drive with Richard Hammond, which are tied to two of the cable channel's top three unscripted franchises, reruns of British hits Top Gear, Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and The Graham Norton Show. Would You Rather will feature host and comedian Graham Norton in a new original comedy game show that tests the wits of the best U.S. comics. Shot in New York, it’s produced by So Television and executive produced by Norton, Graham Stuart and Jim Biederman. It will premiere later this year as part of BBC America’s recently launched comedy franchise The Ministry of Laughs. Meanwhile, Top Gear host Hammond will star in the six-episode Hard Drive with Richard Hammond. Produced by BBC Worldwide Prods and based on the BBC format World’s Toughest Driving Tests, it features Hammond traveling the U.S. and competing with local experts driving some of America’s toughest and most extraordinary vehicles. Rob Fox, Elli Hakami and Jane Tranter are exec producing. The new series are part of BBC America's general manager Perry Simon's push in original programming. Here are several other unscripted projects BBC America has put in development:

Sounds interesting, i'll definitely watch it. Although I think it would be more interesting with Clarkson hosting it, i'm sure Hammond will do quite well too.

[bigbadberry3]

Hmm pure Hamster could be iffy.

[Jesda]

He, James, and Jeremy have all done their own series and TV/DVD specials. Should be as good as the others.

Hammond did an excellent series on science earlier this year.

[bigbadberry3]

I'll have to look that up. Didn't he almost blow himself up in a dragster?