'Top Gear Australia' axed by Channel Nine?

Top Gear Australia has been axed, it has been reported.

It is believed that Nine Network bosses have decided to cancel the show hosted by Steve Pizzati, Shane Jacobson and Ewen Page after Pizzati wrote about its demise on his Twitter page.

The television star wrote on the microblogging website: "It's true - as of next week, TGA will be on at the special time of not at all. Sorry to the open-minded people that gave it a go and enjoyed! We're told the last three episodes will make an appearance in the summer. Or try Blockbuster Video in the BetaMax section."

Motoring journalist Andrew Mara has now claimed on his Twitter page that Nine will have to pay the BBC AU$200,000 (£130,000) in compensation for axing the show.

The last season of Top Gear Australia received poor audience ratings, averaging about 400,000 viewers per episode. There are still three more episodes in the current series which will reportedly be shown later in the year.

Top Gear Australia, originally hosted by Pizzati, Charlie Cox and Warren Brown, aired on SBS for two seasons from 2008, but moved to Nine and changed presenters in 2010.

In April this year, Nine bosses denied that the show was facing the axe.

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