BBC take on Thorpe Park with £2bn Doctor Who and Top Gear theme park in Kent

A theme park and holiday resort based on hit shows such as Doctor Who and Top Gear will open in Kent in 2020, BBC Worldwide has announced.

London Paramount Entertainment Resort, created in collaboration with movie studio Paramount Pictures, will see the programmes brought to life through games and rides. London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) is behind the £2bn project.

Under the lucrative deal, BBC programmes and characters will feature prominently in the entertainment resort alongside Paramount properties, bosses confirmed.

"We're always looking for opportunities to extend fans' enjoyment of their favourite shows and the idea behind this resort is a really exciting way of celebrating the very special place the BBC has in British culture, " Stephen Davies, director of live events, BBC Worldwide, said.

David Testa, director of LRCH, insisted the theme park would "combine the glamour of Hollywood with the best of British culture".

He said: "The BBC has played an instrumental role in shaping the British entertainment industry for nearly a century, creating some of the most iconic and cherished characters on TV and radio.

"It seems only right, therefore, that its programmes will be present at the new London Paramount Entertainment Resort."