East Special Full Episode - Top Gear - Middle

The trio begins in the relatively safe Kurdish region of Iraq. The initial problem is mechanical: Hammond’s BMW sounds like a bag of spanners. The real problem is existential: Clarkson realises his Barchetta’s roof is designed for Italian rain, not Mesopotamian sun. They drive through checkpoints manned by bemused Peshmerga fighters who have never seen three middle-aged British men argue about rear-wheel drive while sweating through their shirts.

In a moment of pure, uncut Top Gear , the trio stops at the Dead Sea. It is here that Richard Hammond, in a stroke of horrific genius, produces the "Mankini" (a borat-style lime-green thong). The image of Hammond floating in the saltiest water on Earth, dressed like a peeled lime, while Clarkson and May weep with laughter, is the comedic peak of the entire Clarkson era. top gear - middle east special full episode

Unlike the Burma Special or the Bolivia Special , this episode features a surprisingly poignant ending. As they finally roll into Bethlehem (parking under the massive Israeli separation wall), they present their "gifts" to a local orphanage. Jeremy gives a teddy bear, Hammond gives a football, and May gives a science kit. It is oddly touching. The trio begins in the relatively safe Kurdish

Where to watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video (via the "Top Gear" channel) or BBC iPlayer (legacy rights permitting). They drive through checkpoints manned by bemused Peshmerga