The speculation is over, Top Gear is no more, well soon anyway. I know users of this forum have been looking forward to its demise as there are countless threads on this topic in the archives, I know I have. It really doesn?t cut the mustard when compared to Channel 4's Driven series - this Thursday's offerings were particularly dire. This article from the BBC site will put everybody's mind at rest. I'm pleased to see that Quentin Willson will be back. What do you think? Read on ::
The team behind television's long-running motoring show Top Gear is switching tracks from the BBC to Channel 5.
The programme that spawned the television career of Jeremy Clarkson was told by the BBC in August that it would be rested after 23 years.
At the time BBC bosses denied the show had been axed but said it was merely undergoing a strategic overhaul.
But the entire presenting and production team from Chrysalis Entertainment is now switching over to Channel 5 to launch a new show called Fifth Gear.
It will also mark the return of presenter Quentin Willson after a year-long sabbatical.
He will be joined in the driving seat by Tiff Needel, Vicki Butler-Henderson and Adrian Wilson.
Former racing driver Needel said: "I am delighted to be able to continue providing the motoring public with an entertaining and informative programme, because from the feedback I've had the world over that's what the real motoring fans want."
Channel 5's newly installed director of programmes, Kevin Lygo, added: "This is a fantastic coup for the channel - we are delighted to have been able to attract such a high profile team.
"To devotees, Quentin, Tiff, Vicki and Adrian were Top Gear. I'm sure their many fans will welcome them back as a regular fixture on our screens once again."
Fifth Gear will have an initial run of 15 weeks.
The BBC's Top Gear magazine is unaffected by the changes.
:: You can visit this article and related one's on the BBC site at: news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/tv_and_rad...m
Please excuse me if this has been posted already in the forum, the article was posted in the public domain on Thursday, 15 November, 2001.
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i will only welcome quentin back, maybe tiff, but not those idiots VBH and adrian, channel 5 should have dropped the last two, (dropped them off a bridge) ;-)
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I think until recently Top Gear was superior to Driven, but agree that since Clarkson and Quentin left, Tiff was the only good thing left on the show.
I always enjoyed Quentins 2nd hand car features and hopefully if the others can can drop a little of the Jeremy Clarkson copying dry humour and deliver proper reviews then the show will be as good as it once was.
Am I the only Clarkson fan by the way. What does everyone else think. The original Vectra review was hilarious. No wonder Vauxhall banned him from reviewing their motors!
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I've never seen Ch.5. There must be thousands of others too, as the reception is lousy
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Well I won't bother watching even to complain about it, CH5 is far too spotty to put up with here.
David
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What's Channel 5? Not made it yet to this bit of Wiltshire, unless I go to a satellite receiver.
Regards
JS
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i too thought the original vectra review was brilliant. Even though it wasnt much of a review, Clarkson was on top form. Made me laugh anyway!
Clarkson should have stayed reviewing cars instead of that show of his own he had ('Clarkson'?) since thats what he does best. The series on extreme machines was also very good too (it still had a motoring flavour).
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Satellite BBC World gives us here on the equator the wrteched Top Gear. It tells you nothing useful about any of the vehicles and appears to be a release for the combined pent-up egos of the camera personal effects brigades and the puffed up nobodies who pass as authoritative vehicle reviewers. Look at me MUm I'm a TV presenter. (Who on earth hired that spike-haired loon with the impenetrable accent?)
POor old Beeb, they've really gone down the tube (sorry for the pun). THey purport to provide a "world" service but don't go to their customers for a view. People say to me why do they have so many newsreaders who don't look British..etc
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>(Who on earth hired that spike-haired loon with the impenetrable accent?)<
Quite right. He annoys me intensely with his "NOY" instead of "NOW"
>People say to me why do they have so many newsreaders who don't look British..etc<
The reason is the Great British cancer of Political Correctness. Ethnic minorities make up around 9% of UK but look at any childrens programme, TV advertising etc. and you will see ethnic minorities over-represented, usually as much as 50% but lately some are 100%. Liberals are trying force us to accept multi-culuralism. If we don't, they will "pass a law"
It's just like passing a law to make neighbours who don't get on suddenly love each other. Political Correctness goes against human nature.
Moan over.
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Alwyn I am sure we would get on, I could not agree with you more. PC means everything being reduced to the lowest common denominator. Not the place to discuss it I guess, but......
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So there are at least two of us on the planet. It's a start :-)
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There are more of your type (Alwyn & Growler) in the BNP, and with Osama-B-L. Just ask the Soho Nail Bomber how to join.
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And what type is that, anonymous one?
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To KKX: I never said anything about nail bombs. But I do think they should ban handguns -- automatic weapons do a far better job.
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What minority does 'Vicki - Butler - Henderson- squeal tyres' hail from. It must be ' I know nothing whatsoever about cars, but I'm good at bullshitting' minority ?
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i think we should have a program on ITV, with jeremy clarkson, quentin willson, tiff needell, and the second presenter off deals on wheels. i say ITV because the beeb dont seem bothered about the motoring public.
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Who's Adrian Wilson? I thought the new boke with the blue eyes and the not sure where he comes from accent was Adrian Simpson. But it's great news that Quent will be back on the gogglebox. Also be nice for Clarkson to guest from time to time, though his fee would probably finance a whole series. Jezza was 100% right about the Vectra and has been proved to be right. But the BPC crumbled under pressure from GM Vauxhall and had Tiff do a positive test of the wretched thing. They did the same when Quent did a brilliant story on the Oxford Traffic Jam system. Great footage of the Count having to carry bits of filming equipment because they couldn't even get their van into Oxford town centre. Then the bloke responsible for the OTC demanded the right to reply, the BPC buckeld under and they had to film Quent sitting in the geezer's office while he rambled on about the benefits of keeping cars out of Oxford. If from this you think the BPC is anti-motoring and that's the real reason for the demise of Top Gear, then you are perfectly entitled to your opinion.
HJ
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The crucial point of the programme is surely (As Jason mentioned) Proper Reviews not comedy by self styled,would be,icons. It is reputed to be a Motoring programme only lasting 30 minutes.Inevitably it is superficial, there is no time to waste on trivia.I want facts not fantasy.
Simon
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We've got Channel 6 here! Mostly pop (turn off the vile noise and watch the birds prancing, before SWMBO is up) but there are Felix the Cat and Bertha.
As to motoring programmes, lets see interesting machinery, being pushed. For the other kind, more or less stationary, I can look out of the window.
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What of the Top Gear magazine that I subscribe too (sad or what) ?
FfwlCymraeg
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