Top Gear - Middle East Special Full |top| Episode Jun 2026

In a classic display of schoolboy humor, Clarkson and Hammond used the cover of night to repaint James May’s beloved BMW Z3 in a bright, ridiculous camouflage pattern, much to May’s clinical fury the following morning. The Bethlehem Finale

For many viewers, the Syrian segment is the most poignant. Filmed just months before the devastating civil war began, the episode captures Syria as a peaceful, stunningly beautiful country filled with incredibly hospitable people. The trio drove through historic cities, visited Roman ruins, and enjoyed local markets, offering a snapshot of a cultural heritage that looks vastly different today. 3. The Desert of Jordan

A Mazda MX-5 (NA). Known for its reliability, Jeremy gave it a custom "desert camo" paint job.

The route took them through southern Turkey and the deserts of pre-civil war Syria .

The Top Gear Middle East Special stands as one of the most ambitious, culturally significant, and entertaining episodes in the history of television. Originally broadcast as the 2010 Christmas Special during Series 16, the episode follows Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as they attempt to retrace the journey of the Three Wise Men. Spanning multiple countries, harsh terrains, and intense geopolitical landscapes, this full episode represents the absolute pinnacle of the classic Top Gear era. The Premise: The Three Automotive Wise Men top gear - middle east special full episode

If you'd like to dive deeper into this era of the show, I can help you with: A of every Top Gear special in order

: Retrace the path of the Three Wise Men from Northern Iraq to a stable in Bethlehem to deliver gifts to a "newborn child".

Why does it still resonate?

The trio arrives at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. They decide to test the buoyancy of the water. However, because they are idiots, they also decide to "wash" themselves. Hammond goes in fully clothed. May goes in with a newspaper. Clarkson attempts to drink the water (spoiler: he vomits instantly). Meanwhile, the Fiat’s battery finally dies. In a classic display of schoolboy humor, Clarkson

A Fiat Barchetta. Despite its front-wheel-drive layout, it proved surprisingly resilient.

Hammond chose a front-wheel-drive Italian roadster. The car immediately suffered from reliability issues, including a cracked oil sump. Hammond famously modified the car by applying artificial grass to the exterior, turning it into a rolling lawn. James May: BMW Z3

To survive the scorching desert heat, the hosts modified their cars. Clarkson fitted his Mazda with a literal brick wall and a pipe system, while Hammond attempted to install a nomadic tent over his Fiat.

Highlights

The hosts had to navigate vast stretches of treacherous desert terrain. The lack of air conditioning and proper protection from the elements in their convertibles made the heat grueling.

Clarkson chose a true petrolhead icon, a second-generation Mazda MX-5. Finished in a questionable matte black paint job with digital camouflage accents, it was the only car of the trio that proved to be genuinely reliable. Despite missing a chunk of its exhaust early on, the lightweight Mazda handled the rough terrain surprisingly well. 2. Richard Hammond: Fiat Barchetta

before its destruction by ISIS, and portrays a pre-civil war Syria as a welcoming, vibrant place. This backdrop of peaceful landscapes that were soon ravaged by conflict adds a layer of poignancy that few other specials possess. Critical Verdict

To torment Hammond, Clarkson and May rigged his car stereo to play songs by the band The trio drove through historic cities, visited Roman