THIS weekend's broadcast of Top Gear - the last to feature Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May and partly filmed at Broughton Hall, Skipton - could be the most watched episode on its history.

Bookmaker William Hill predicts more than 8.35 million will watch Sunday's show - beating the number Top Gear set in December, 2007.

William Hill is offering odds of 6/5 for the record to be broken.

Filming for the episode, which features the three presenters driving around the Broughton estate in 4x4s, including tackling the lake in front of the house, took place in March, shortly before the 'fracas' which led to Mr Clarkson (pictured) being sacked from the programme by the BBC.

The episode was shelved by the BBC, but will now be shown at the show's regular Sunday slot of 8pm on BBC2.

A short preview of the final episode was released on YouTube earlier this month in which the presenters are seen in dinner jackets driving 4x4s at Broughton.

Mr Clarkson has reportedly said he will be watching the final episode with a tear in his eye, while Andy Wilman, the show's then executive producer, has described the final session as 'poignant'.