Favorite Top Gear Challenge

You could argue that the new style Top Gear actually came about in the late Eighties. Jon Bentley became producer in 1987, bringing Formula 1 driver Tiff Needell in as a presenter. The addition of journalist Jeremy Clarkson the following year and Quentin Willson in 1991 boosted viewing figures - undoubtedly due to an emphasis more on speed with a quirky humour. This move caused a great deal of controversy.

However, Clarkson and Bentley left Top Gear in 1999. The BBC looked at Channel 4's quite successful Driven and poached one of their presenters, James May, to take Clarkson's place. He was later joined by fellow Driven presenter Jason Barlow. During these final episodes, ratings plummeted and the show was "rested" in October 2001 pending an overhaul. However, the announcement came the following month that most of the presenters and production crew were going to Channel Five for a new show, Fifth Gear, to be produced by the man who revamped Top Gear, Jon Bentley. This led to doubts that Top Gear would return to our screens.

During this time, the BBC were unsure how to use Clarkson - he wasn't offered anything of great note! However, he got talking to an old school friend, Andy Wilman. Andy had also started off as a motoring journalist before working in television with Clarkson on former projects such as Motorworld, Extreme Machines and Speed. The pair approached the BBC with an idea for a new format Top Gear, which was commissioned with Wilman as producer. Clarkson was joined by Richard Hammond and Jason Dawe to make a trio of presenters, with the show broadcast in 2002. Dawe only lasted one series. With his used car salesman persona went the slightly awkward premise of having the studio audience mill around the studio, looking at cars as if on a sales forecourt. Former presenter James May was brought back, and the show became what we know today.

So in a way, yes it is true that Clarkson approached the BBC with the idea, but it was a joint effort with Wilman. I would say that they can thank Jon Bentley for at least some of the show's approach, so you can't really call it all-new or indeed all Clarkson's idea. Also, people seem to think the show was axed, when technically the BBC never said this. They had always suggested it would return in a new format. In fact, they made the announcement that it would return right after the Fifth Gear announcement - again suggesting that the idea to revamp the show wasn't really Clarkson's.

Here's a clip of Clarkson in 1999, shortly before he left the show. You'll see it is indeed very similar to his modern-day presenting...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6H6I4lyVc4

Here's an example of an amusing segment from the Nineties:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko6Go8F0VhI&feature=related

Here's an episode from 2000, which demonstrates that the revamp wasn't really that huge a change:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsINF4fWr54

If you're thinking it does feel a fair bit different, that's probably the presenters.. try this James May clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viwq9x9OkgM&feature=related

 

thanks for all the info there, retro. I'd lost touch with Top Gear from 1998 when I came to Japan. It wasn't until the last year did I manage to get all of the "New" Top Gear episodes with the trio that we know and love now.

Yakumo

 

Well i think everyone does now, after the daily star gave pretty conclusive proof who he was.

As for the races, the veyron v's cessna, and the gt-r v's the bullet train have to be my favs.

 

Don`t say I didn`t tell you ;-)

January 20 2009
The identity of Top Gear's mysterious Stig has been one of the best kept secrets in television.
But after years of intense public curiosity it has been revealed that he is a 33-year-old racing driver from Bristol.



Ben Collins is the mystery man behind the white mask, a former American NASCAR, Formula 3 driver and Daniel Craig stunt double.
Famed for his on-the-limit driving style, the Stig's identity is normally protected because he never removes his trademark white helmet or racing suit and never talks on camera.
However, the secret apparently came out when a Bristol newspaper ran a story claiming that Collins was at a Bristol photo studio where limited-edition prints of the Stig were being produced.
The media has long known who the Stig is but has refrained from revealing his true identity. A Top Gear spokesman said: "We never comment on speculation as to who or what The Stig is."
Rumour has it that if the Stig's identity was ever revealed the driver could be sacked from Top Gear. The original Stig, Perry McCarthy, was launched off an aircraft carrier and 'killed' after his identity was revealed.
In 2007, Ben Collins wrote a series of stunt-driving articles for MSN Cars.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/News/car_news_article.aspx?cp-documentid=13026661

 

I honestly doubt that there's just one Stig.

Anyway, did you guys watched the Vietnam special? It was great.

 

The vietnam special was excellent as all top gear challenges are especially as they bought bikes instead of cars becuase it made it different from what usually happens.

 

Oh yeah. Clarkson on a bike = priceless.

And let's not forget.... BORN IN THE USA!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I totally agree that there's more than one, heh.

The Vietnam special was great!!! I can't believe that scooter lasted 1000 miles, lol.

 

Yeah, I loved the Vietnam special. Priceless seeing Jerremy on that little scooter. It was quite a shock to see him fall off it though near the end of the show. I bet that hurt!

So the Stig is Ben Collins? Hmm, I sort of liked not knowing who the stig was. Bloody shitty British press

Yakumo

 

The vietnam special was really good. Clarkson falling off his bike was priceless.

I'm surprised Jeremy was the only one who bothered learning some Vietnamese for trip, usually captain slow is mr. prepared.

Hammond beating the shit out his model ship and James' statue breaking from falling off were key highlights. I'm not surprised the stig identity has been revealed.

I'd imagine they are already looking for a new one.

 

Well according to this artice the stig is more than one driver but it is ben colins so who could the other 3 be If there were indeed 4 of them.

i'm not sure about there being 4 stigs at all.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a143942/the-stig-portrayed-by-four-drivers.html

 

I loved this episode!
i just dont think i have laughed so hard whilst watching top gear than i did with this one!


The drive through the US was hilarious! especially when they drive through like Mississippi with pink writing on the sides of richard hammonds car saying that he was gay and proud.

 

The one challenge i just loved was when they tried to make police cars better, I laughed so hard that i couldn't speak properly.

Th other thing i liked although not a challenge was when hammond done Bus racing using the double decker and bendy bus...etc.

 

Oh yes, the Police Car one was soooo funny! I bet many none Brits would understand just how funny it was. James May's Lexus with ROZZERS written on it was pure class.

Yakumo

 

Did anyone catch the India special?

 

Yep, in lovely HD It's on Pirate Bay if you need to get it. Since it's a TV show, shown on public FREE TV I have no problems with downloading it :nod:

 

The concorde challenge was one of my favourites, I loved that red alfa I think it was james had it.

 

How could I miss it?

Clarkson was accused of being racist - again. Apparently the comment, that I almost missed, about how "everyone" coming to India gets diarrhea and that having a toilet on the boot of your car is a good idea is considered to be racist.

A bad joke in poor taste for sure and surely something nobody would take as a seriously good idea. But I'd hardly call it racist.

Then again its not like Top Gear is the peak of class either; and I like it like that.

 

I thought the toilet joke was true. I know loads of people who get the shits when going to the likes of India, Nepal, Indonesia and so on. That comment wasn't racist at all. People are bloody stupid these days.

Yakumo

 

man i cant find anywhere to stream the show anymore, bbc are like hawks on this.. is succumbing to torrents at finalgear the only solution?