Jeremy Clarkson made £2m from Top Gear company

Presenter's £1m BBC salary topped up by success of Bedder 6, private firm he helped set up to exploit brand's profits

British television BBC presenter of moto
Jeremy Clarkson in an Aston Martin during a Top Gear shoot in Romania. Photograph: Ana Poenariu/AFP/Getty Images

Jeremy Clarkson earned more than £2m in one year from the company set up to maximise profits from the global exploitation of Top Gear.

Accounts for Bedder 6, created by Clarkson and Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, reported a 68% increase in pre-tax profits to £15.2m. Clarkson, who reportedly earns about £1m for presenting Top Gear, owns 30% of the firm and was paid £2.14m, according to accounts filed at Companies House.

A spokesman for BBC Worldwide, who pointed out that profits made by Clarkson do not come out of the BBC licence fee, said that he represented "excellent value".


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