3:02pm UK, Tuesday January 10, 2012

Richard Williams, Sky News Online
Jeremy Clarkson made £2.14m from Top Gear last year - more than double the sum he received from the popular TV show over the previous 12 months.

The outspoken presenter received £1.79m through his 30% stake in Bedder 6, the company set up in 2006 to exploit the Top Gear brand across the world, compared to his previous dividend of £504,000.

This slice of the firm's £14.8m pre-tax profits in the year up to March 2011, along with his one-off performance of fee of £350,000, reflect Clarkson's immense value to the BBC.

The motoring programme is shown in 198 different countries and attracted around five million viewers in the UK for its Christmas special in December.

"Jeremy is synonymous with the Top Gear brand and and it is difficult to imagine a better-known TV star worldwide."

Mel Nichols, motoring journalism expert

But sales of Top Gear merchandise, which includes T-shirts, mugs and a 'Stig' lunch box, also provide a significant chunk of the company's revenue.

Clarkson was allowed to set up Bedder 6 reportedly amid fears at the BBC that he would leave the corporation and move to ITV.

BBC Worldwide retains just over 50% of the company, while Clarkson's longstanding friend and co-producer Andy Wilman has around 20%.

The dividend paid to the three parties increased to £5.95m last year from £1.68m.
Clarkson is the most high-profile of Top Gear's three presenters, who also include Richard Hammond and James May.

A huge array of Top Gear merchandise has been sold off the back of the show

He has long proved a controversial figure, prompting thousands of complaints in November when he joked on the BBC One Show that public sector workers should be "executed".

Jezza's Millions