He is forced to pull over at a garage and spend the night fixing his car. The presenters gun it, eventually finding a route back to civilization. The episode opens in the cargo hold of the Russian Cargo Plane; the three presenters introduce their cars. The presenters are then formally issued with their challenge, which subsequently reveals where they are. Meeting up at a traditional Syrian restaurant the presenters revealed their gifts to one another. After presenting their gifts the baby is revealed to be a baby Stig, much to the surprise of the presenters. It’s almost a year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. James is skeptical of the idea whilst Richard agrees that his proposal James have some merit. https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/Middle_East_Special?oldid=24273. Come indulge in the royal feast with us from 13th – 15... Rajdhani Middle East The presenters head into the mountains near the Iranian border, pulling over to put the roofs on their convertibles up. Eventually arriving at the camp site, the presenters traded stories until it was time to sleep. The desert proved to be a worthy adversary; over the course of the day the presenters were continually bogged in sand and their cars were taking a battering from the rocky, steep hills. Fearful that an angry mob of Jordanians James notice the dust the presenters decide to abandon the race, unanimously agreeing that Richard's Fiat is the fastest. Arriving at the border crossing, Jeremy heads inside to complete the paperwork. In order for James and Jeremy to disembark the cargo plane and begin their journey Richard must drive his car out first. To make amends for this Jeremy offered to cook lunch on his grill only to find that this too was a pointless addition. [8], Because it was a BBC production the Top Gear film crew were prevented from crossing the Iran–Iraq border. He tells Richard and James that the Iraqi words for petrol and bastard are very similar. On the road again, the presenters make the final push to the Iran border as night begins to fall. To pull him out Richard tied a rope between his Fiat and Jeremy's Mazda with James holding onto this rope. The episode saw the presenters of the show, Jeremy, James, and Richard, retrace the steps of the three wise men on a … With all three presenters together they consult a map to figure out the best route to take. After riding the rides the presenters agree to ditch their bulletproof vests and helmets after all agreeing that this part of Iraq feels safe. After the race the damage is revealed: Richard had lost a large portion of his bodywork and Jeremy's spotlights had been smashed. However, the presenters worried that if the Israeli border patrol officers knew that they had been in Syria they would not be let in to the country. [17][36][37] The cars were exhibited again at the ExCeL London conference centre for Top Gear Live in November 2011. Cargo Online tracking facility. The customs officers question Richard on the bullet in a tense exchange however, they let him go after discovering that it is simply a lighter. The NATO PA Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) provides a forum for parliamentarians from NATO countries and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to discuss political and security issues and to enhance cooperation. [5] Clarkson is driving a Mazda MX-5, Hammond a Fiat Barchetta Riviera and May a BMW Z3. Previous Having decided this the presenters take the final drive to Bethlehem as night falls. As the plane descends towards the runway the presenters climb into their cars. Episode Top Gear: Middle East Special (or Top Gear: Nativity Special)[1][2] is a 76-minute-long extended episode of Top Gear series 16. [23] The following-day repeat had a 7-day total of 2.988 million viewers on BBC Two, plus 202,000 on BBC HD. Logistics Middle East explores what multinationals are looking for in logistics hubs and why Saudi Arabia may be the enabler and the key for majors looking to unlock the potential of the Gulf region – and beyond. James was confident that the people of Syria would not watch Top Gear and, as such, there would be no media attention regarding their visit. The Middle East Special was a special episode of the BBC motoring show Top Gear that aired as the second of two Christmas specials in 2010. Next The presenters are forced to rethink their route and head aimlessly down the road in search of a hotel. [32] Filming took place during October 2010, with the convoy negotiating the Sheikh Hussein Bridge border crossing from Jordan to Israel on 19 October 2010. Jeremy suggested that the presenters sneak across Syria, avoiding the main roads and traveling across the desert. The MEA App By David Brennan On 1/26/21 at 5:11 AM EST. 1963. Richard had bought a special Fiat Barchetta with black paint and red leather seats, Jeremy a Mazda MX-5, and James a BMW Z3 despite spending more than the budget of three and a half thousand pounds. Clarkson, Hammond and May travel across the Middle East in a £3500 sports car to reach Jerusalem, and encounter all the political minefields (and the real ones) the Three Wise Men didn't. The Middle East Special was a special episode of the BBC motoring show Top Gear that aired as the second of two Christmas specials in 2010. [28], Planning for the episode began in January 2010,[29] with the concept of the Baby Stig added later as a plot device to introduce a new Stig following the departure of Ben Collins. Share. The presenters headed off road into the Syrian desert the following morning, revealing their modifications. Christmas in the Middle East (Extended Version) Join Dr. Michael Youssef for a special Christmas service from Egypt as he shares a powerful sermon alongside the Cairo Celebration Choir and Orchestra. Online Check-in Check in before departure. Jeremy develops an idea on how to protect himself whilst driving his car and he makes the convoy pull over at a restaurant to explain his idea. All of the presenters ideally want to be in the middle of the other two so that their chances of being attacked are lessened. Since 18 September 2018 Susanna Terstal has been the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process. From the experts. Richard had also glued sand to the remaining visible portion of his car for further camouflage and mounted two large spotlights. Ed James, Director of Content & Analysis, MEED Projects; 14:25 - 15:00 Panel Navigating the Middle East Projects and Business Landscape in a Post-COVID World. Additionally, in 2015 she assisted in the set-up of Lukoil’s automotive lubricants business in the Middle Eastern markets. Richard had bought a golden necklace with Jesus' own face imprinted on the front, James had found a bottle labeled frankincense (which the other two joked was merely shampoo from their hotel), and Jeremy, unable to find myrrh, had bought a Nintendo DS. The road to the Sea of Galilee takes the presenters through the mountainous Golan Heights where the roads are, according to the presenters, fantastic despite the prospect of crashing into a mine field. Flight Schedule View MEA's Flight Schedule. Air date Top Gear: Middle East Special (or Top Gear: Nativity Special) is a 76-minute-long extended episode of Top Gear series 16. The presenters find themselves traveling along a small path surrounded by enormously tall walls. [22] It was broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2010 and watched by 5.863 million viewers on BBC Two plus 546,000 viewers on BBC HD. The presenters head to their hotel only to discover that a "welcome Top Gear" banner greets them. The presenters headed for a bar and came up with a solution while watching the Syrian-dubbed version of the show. To recognize this important day, Rouba Zeidan speaks with members of IMA leadership who weigh in on what it means to operate, manage and even breed an inclusive culture. Ten grim lessons the world has learned from a decade of war in Syria . AKA: Top Gear. Tor Wennesland is the new UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. By John Bambridge. The race is violent, with the presenters constantly crashing into each other due to the lack of visibility. Richard meanwhile had mended his Fiat but was now traveling in complete darkness. [5] The team arrives sitting in their vehicles inside a Russian Cargo aeroplane which opens the cargo door prior to landing and performs a go-around, before the starting location is revealed as Iraq. March 2021. The pilot of the plane aborts the initial landing and pitches upwards sharply to retry pushing all of the presenters forward.