Motoring show Top Gear has been crowned the world's Most widely watched factual TV programme in the new Guinness World Record 2013 Edition book.

The show's incredible audience covers 212 territories around the world from Ghana to Guatemala, Moldova to Myanmar.

The BBC show originally began life in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine programme.

Following a relaunch in 2002, the show adopted a more quirky, humorous and sometimes controversial style, with the programme's now familiar presenter line-up of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in place a year later.

Among the show's many favourite features is Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, which sees a variety of celebrities taking to the show's test track in cheap cars in an attempt to set a quick lap time, and The Stig - the show's infamous test driver whose identity has long been a closely-guarded secret.

Accepting the Guinness World Records 2013 book on behalf of the show, Clarkson said: "I am very proud to be involved in such a factual programme."