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You may have read some scant details about our festive special in the papers this week. We can confirm their veracity. This Boxing Day Jeremy, Richard and James will be attempting their toughest task yet: passing themselves off as ‘three wise men’ while recreating that famous journey following a star to Bethlehem.
SPOILER ALERT: Those who want to keep it a surprise, stop reading here.
If you’re undertaking a journey of 1,200 perilous miles across countries and regions like Kurdistan, Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel, taking in inhospitable stretches of obscure mountain and desert, one’s choice of vehicle is paramount. A 4×4, perhaps. Something rugged. Dependable. Lots of easy-to-find parts lying about in out-of-the-way garages would be handy. Our long-feted Toyota Hilux, perhaps?
No. Our presenters chose a fleet of second-hand convertibles: a Mazda MX5, BMW Z3 and Fiat Barchetta.
The opening scene should give you a clue of the perils to follow: a Russian transport plane with cars on board pulls into a darkened, unidentified airport. It’s in Iraq. The pilot opens the cargo doors thousands of feet up, but an aborted landing means a sudden steep climb with the doors still open. Richard can take up the story for you:
“Any initial concerns about where we were landing and what we were going to do when we got there paled in comparison to sitting in the driving seat of an elderly two-seater roadster, staring out of the open back door of a Russian transport plane going backwards at a million miles an hour while the pilot seemed to be wrestling a bear in the cockpit. And yes, I did scream. A lot. I still am inside.”
There’s also a drag race across one of Saddam’s runways, Jeremy has to protect his car from gunfire in a hair-raising moment, and a disguised sneak across the Syrian desert doesn’t exactly go to plan. Jeremy also addresses the question that crops up after every nativity play: ‘What exactly is myrrh, and where do you buy it?’
The Three Wise Men Christmas Special will be on BBC2 on Boxing Day at 8pm. Not only that, Top Gear will be back with another new episode just five days before on Tuesday 21 December at 8pm on BBC2. And then the series proper begins early in the New Year. Full TV listings details are at the Radio Times as always.
We hope you enjoy it, and check back as always on TopGear.com for more details and exclusives around the new shows in the coming weeks…
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
KURDISTAN commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 10:24 am
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Kelpie commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 11:50 am
Look forward to it – especially the fetching head wear. Well done boys. James you are my favourite
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ali kurdish commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 12:11 pm
we very proud to came to kurdistan
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TG:) commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Cant wait sooo excited!!
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Anonymous commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 1:45 pm
welcome to kurdustan
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the man H commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 2:30 pm
james may ftw
you are my hero!!!!!
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WVHB commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I am the best with car logos, I got all of them right on your little quiz, it wasn’t as difficult as I thought
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Genn commented on this article
Friday December 10, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Why delete my comment? Afraid people will know the truth?
LOL @ “Kurdistan”. You guys really think Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran are gonna give up their land so you can have your make-believe country? No way in hell will that ever happen. Stop trying to cause more disorder! The Assyrians were in that area long before the Kurds set foot there, but they’re treated like second class citizens and are being forced out thanks to you guys and your false sense of entitlement. [see: http://www.aina.org/repor ts/oaaa.pdf%5D Shame on you, and shame on Top Gear for instigating this in the blog post. I also hope TG recognises that Bethlehem (West Bank) and East Jerusalem (where the main holy sites reside) were, under international law, illegally annexed and have continued to be illegally occupied by Israel. Because of this, not a single country recognises Israel’s claim over them – that includes the UK, and even the US. Remember that.
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Lamborghini KOREA 정환 commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 3:46 am
your my best haha
topgear is very good
I’ll love topgear
umm… i’m from korea hahaha
I’m sorry, I can’t speak english
but I’ll love topgear!!
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sambhav commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 8:21 am
top gear will love the roads of nepal
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goonz commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 8:36 am
KWALITEEE!!!
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EllieJF commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 11:07 am
Literally could not be more excited about the Christmas episodes!
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MichaelD commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 11:28 am
I’m really looking forward to the next series
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hiwa jaff-uk commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 12:10 pm
welcome to kurdistan
Cant wait sooo excited..
we very proud to came to kurdistan
have fun a safe driving in beautiful Kurdistan mountains
good luck .
hiwa jaff-peterborough-england
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dara commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 1:46 pm
love you guys , you are the best ,, thanks again and again for visiting kurdustan, you have alot of fans in kurdistan , ia can not believe i cuoldn’t see you here what a waste
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Apo Ozery commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 4:53 pm
great to see this in Kurdistan
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Anonymous commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Really looking forward to new series! can’t wait! I know it’s sad but ive already put it on my calender so i don’t miss it! ;3
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nick commented on this article
Saturday December 11, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Some say I really can’t wait any more for the fresh new brilliant TG stuff. Bring it on!
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edbot13 commented on this article
Sunday December 12, 2010 at 10:19 am
cant wait its gunna be amazin
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fatman commented on this article
Sunday December 12, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Yay!
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I smell win commented on this article
Monday December 13, 2010 at 6:23 am
total win………………
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Rocker5678 commented on this article
Monday December 13, 2010 at 6:11 pm
cant wait
…
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Rocker5678 commented on this article
Monday December 13, 2010 at 6:15 pm
looks good from the pictures…put it on tv on the 17th december at 2:30pm…thats when i get back from school i have a half day so please do it then…PLEASE DO IT…:-):-)
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imthenewstig commented on this article
Monday December 13, 2010 at 8:35 pm
what date is it on?
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Franklin commented on this article
Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 12:09 am
This Top Gear seems awesome!!I can’t wait for it to premiere.
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