Read that headline again and let it sink in. Just think of the hole that Hammond and May could leave if they ditched Top Gear. It’s utterly depressing. Well, that fear is pretty real as the pair have have not yet signed new contracts despite their agreements expiring at the end of the month… in fact, they’ve not so much hit a stone in the road of contract negotiations, but rather, the pair “turned down flat” according to a spokesperson. In short, it seems that they want contracts that are more in line with the wageslip of co-host Jeremy Clarkson.

“Internally there is talk that there might be a chance for the first time that there could be a break up of the team, it has got that bad,” said the source. “There has been a lot of pulling out of hair, a Mexican stand-off. For the first time it is possible that one or both might leave. They don’t want to accept second status anymore. There has been a meltdown in negotiations”.

What it seems to be boiling down to is the fact that Clarkson’s deal allows him to make money from the profits of the commercial activities of the Top Gear franchise. Basically, if BBC Worldwide make money on the show around the world, or money from the US and Australian versions, Clarkson stands to make money. May and Hammond don’t, with the BBC arguing that they’re only famous because of the show. The BBC also argue that without the show, Hammond and May’s wider media profiles could be damaged.

Of course, Hammond is famous away from the show and May made a name for himself in the brilliant Oz and James’ Big Wine Adventure series. However, with the BBC Trust under fire for the amount being paid to top stars, they may well hold firm. The BBC have already said that they are “prepared to walk away from deals that do not offer good value.” According to today’s Daily Mirror, May responded to the decision by saying: “When I saw the ruling, I thought, ‘You can sod off’.”

Is this the end for Top Gear as we know it?