article: Top Gear has helped steer the BBC’s iPlayer to record levels after four episodes shown in February notched up nine million views alone. The long-running motoring show took up first, second, third and fifth spots in the catch-up service's top five for the month as fans used it to take one last look at their favourite show. The viewing figures come a week after presenter Jeremy Clarkson was dismissed from the BBC for punching Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon. Scroll down for video . Top Gear star James May was spotted out and about in central London today with an iPad as it emerged the motoring show has helped steer the BBC’s iPlayer to record levels, notching up nine million views alone . Popular: Top Gear has helped steer the BBC’s iPlayer to record levels after four episodes shown in February notched up nine million views . According to the Daily Telegraph the four episodes in February were watched a total of 9,047,000 times while episode two alone was watched 2,645,000 times. The service received 299million requests for streaming or downloading television and radio programmes during the month. Statistics published by the BBC show there were an average of 10.7million daily requests overall and it was the best month ever for requests to television programmes, with an average of 8.6m requests a day. Live episodes of EastEnders and The Comic Relief Bake Off also featured in the top 20 programmes this month along with dramas such as Waterloo Road, Silent Witness, The Casual Vacancy and Wolf Hall. The four episodes in February were watched a total of 9,047,000 times while episode two alone was watched 2,645,000 times . Figures for March are expected to see a sharp decline, the Telegraph reports, since only two episodes of Top Gear were shown before Clarkson’s dramatic suspension. On Tuesday, the BBC confirmed Top Gear's £10million live world tour will go ahead with Jeremy Clarkson at the helm alongside fellow presenters James May and Richard Hammond. A BBC Worldwide spokesman said they will fulfil the series of live shows which have already sold 200,000 tickets worldwide - but added that the events will be stripped of all BBC branding and content and billed as Clarkson, Hammond and May Live. That means the shows, which will take place in venues as far afield as Australia, Norway, and South Africa as well as the UK, will not be able to use clips from the show or feature The Stig. Record: The long-running motoring show took up first, second, third and fifth spots in the catch-up service's top five for the month (file picture) The tour starts in Australia and fans have paid between £35 and £200 for tickets to the live shows. The BBC suspended Clarkson when it emerged he had been involved in what was initially described as 'a fracas' with producer Oisin Tymon. Last Wednesday, BBC director-general Tony Hall announced that Clarkson, a popular but divisive figure during his time at the hugely successful BBC2 motoring show, would not be retained, saying 'a line has been crossed' and 'there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another'. Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second assault on March 4 and took himself to hospital with his injuries. He was also verbally abused by the former Top Gear presenter. Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended on March 10. The BBC suspended Clarkson when it emerged he had been involved in what was initially described as 'a fracas' with producer Oisin Tymon (pictured) The BBC could lose as much as £67million a year now Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been sacked . The BBC could lose as much as £67million a year now  Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been sacked. The star helped relaunch the ailing show in 2002, turning it into a worldwide hit. Now the corporation's commercial arm rakes in an estimated £50million a year from selling the rights to Top Gear overseas, with the show watched in 214 countries around the world. On top of that, BBC Worldwide makes millions more from Top Gear Magazine and live shows in the UK and abroad, as well as sales of DVDs. The BBC could lose tens of millions of pounds in annual profit  after giving Clarkson his marching orders, with the sale of the show overseas making £50million alone. Top Gear Magazine has a global circulation of 1.7 million, bringing in another estimated £7.4million - not including profit from advertising, as well as the costs of producing and shipping the magazine. The motoring programme was also set to make around £7.35million in sales of tickets to its 14 live shows in the UK this year. The BBC's loss could be another broadcaster's gain, with rivals Sky, ITV and Netflix all set to compete for Clarkson's signature.
highlights: Figures come a week after Jeremy Clarkson was dismissed from the BBC .
  Top Gear took up first, third and fifth spots in iPlayer top five for February .
  Episode two of the BB2 show's last series was watched 2,645,000 times .
prediction: Top Gear 
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   s iPlayer to record levels after four episodes shown in February not 
   The long - running motoring show took up first, second, third and fifth spots in the catch - up service' s top five for the month 
   viewing figures come 
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   presenter Jeremy Clarkson was dismissed from 
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   punching Top 
   Oisin Tymon 
   nine million views alone . 
   were watched a total of 9 
   047 
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   watched 2 
   645 
   received 299million requests 
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   James May and 
  