Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond ‘in talks’ with ITV

Former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have been ‘in talks’ with ITV.

According to The Guardian, the presenting trio and Top Gear’s former executive producer Andy Wilman, met with ITV's Director of Television, Peter Fincham, on Wednesday evening.

The news comes amid reports that Clarkson is looking to move the popular motoring format to another station after being fired by the BBC last month.

While the trio wouldn’t be able to use the Top Gear name, they would be able to front another motoring show as a threesome.

Former presenter Tiff Needal did a something similar when the BBC show was briefly cancelled in 2001, launching motoring show, Fifth Gear, over on Channel 5 with a number of the team.

While it was previously rumoured that the BBC were looking to fill Clarkson’s place with another star, co-host May and Hammond have since revealed that they won’t be returning to the show without him.

Speaking to MediaGuardian, May said: “Me and Hammond with a surrogate Jeremy is a non-starter, it just wouldn’t work. That would be lame, or ‘awks’ as young people say.”

The 52-year-old went on to shoot down speculation that BBC bosses were in the process of finding someone new to fill Clarkson’s shoes.

He said: “It has to be the three of us. You can’t just put a surrogate Jeremy in and expect it to carry on. It would be forced. I don’t believe they would be stupid enough to try that.”

Clarkson, 55, was fired by the BBC in April after his now infamous ‘fracas’ with a producer.

A spokesperson for ITV , said: “We haven't commented and aren't planning to comment on the continual Top Gear speculation which is swirling around the television industry.”