For all the money thrown at Clarkson and his co-hosts, the enormous international success of the show had made it extremely profitable for the public-service broadcaster. And more importantly, Top Gear's global audience also provided something intangible: Soft power.

The UK has passed a bill that enshrines in law its commitment to spend 0.7% of its gross national income (GNI) on aid every year, making it the first G7 country to meet the UN’s 45-year-old aid spending target.

Now more nations rely on their soft power to find diplomatic solutions. When it comes to this, films, especially commercial films, are some of the best choices around. 

Despite its detractors, Eurovision remains the single largest televised annual cultural event in the world. Of course, the UK doesn't exactly need the soft power nor is it lacking in cultural power outside Eurovision; Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and BBC News attest to that.

Opinion polls tell us that almost half of the British public would like the Crown to skip a generation and pass straight the Duke of Cambridge. In China this week, it felt as though it already had.

China threw open its arms to welcome Prince William, as the second-in-line to the throne made his first visit to the mainland by a member of the royal family since 1986. The Duke of Cambridge focused his three-day trip on culture, sports and activities promoting the protection of wildlife.

Britain is being left increasingly open to attack as a result of successive government’s failure’s to invest in the military. In the meantime foreign aid is perversely being doled out to countries that stand accused of funding terrorism.

Hawkish members of the UK House of Lords will battle for increased military spending Friday, proposing that the government link foreign aid to defense budgets.