Fifth Gear heading to Discovery

Fifth GearMotoring series Fifth Gear will leave Channel Five for Discovery.

Broadcast reports that Discovery has poached the Channel Five rival to Top Gear meaning it will leave terrestrial television for the first time in its ten-year history. Fifth Gear originally launched on Channel Five in 2002 with a presenting team consisting of Tiff Needell, Tom Ford and Adrian Simpson.

The acquisition of Fifth Gear is part of Discovery’s aim to increase its UK spending by 50%. The broadcaster has signed a two year deal with producers North One Television to fully fund the series. The deal amounts to 18 episodes over the next two years which will be broken down into two seasons of 9 episodes. Fifth Gear will also return to its one-hour format having been reduced to 30 minute instalments in 2010 by Channel Five. It’s unclear what other changes will be made to the series and whether the current presenting line-up will remain or not.