Chris Harris for Top Gear

[knitware]

I just read the new presenters for TopGear will be Mike Brewer and Ling of Lingscars, maybe...

[J4CKO]

Muncher said:

I would be absolutely amazed if we ever saw another episode of Top Gear or even an alternative motoring show on the same slot again.

The format of the show doesn't fit in with the BBC's anti fun, anti car agenda, I think they will just can it completely. The remaining episodes of this series will certainly never be aired.

Yeah, cars are a bit socially irresponsible and middle aged white men are the enemy, perhaps if Petrolheads claim minority status then we will get our radio Station on the BBC ?

[anonymous-user]

You heard it here first:

Clare Balding
Hardeep Kapoor
Warwick Davis

The Stig: Sarah Millican

[TEKNOPUG]

Moonhawk said:

TEKNOPUG said:

Top Gear isn't as popular in the UK as people seem to think. It's not even in the top 10 viewing figures for weekly BBC broadcasts - CountryFile gets over 1.5m more viewers. I wouldn't be surprised if the BBC just drop Top Gear altogether - no other major broadcaster has a motoring show - they are all on cable/satellite channels for a reason.

I think you are rather understating things. There aren't many programs with viewing figures well over 6 million even on the BBC. I also feel you are being a little disingenuous - since you appear to be classing individual episodes (e.g. of Eastenders) separately. When you look at the viewing figures for unique shows - Top Gear often appears well within the top 10 highest viewing figures.

The top programs on Channel 4 and 5 have less than half of TGs viewing figures. The only ITV show that consistently gets higher ratings than TG is Coronation Street.

http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/weekly-top-30?

8pm on Sunday is a dead slot - it was only competing with Antiques Roadshow, whatever dull drama ITV is showing and Great Canal Journeys on C4. It's success is despite it being a motoring show, not because of it. Sunday 8pm on BBC2 is not "the motoring slot". My point is that they be as well to fill that part of the schedule with different original programming, than trying to continue with a motoring themed show.

[jonm01]

I actually think Jonny 'Car Pervert' will mature in to a great presenter. Tom Ford wasn't that great when he did Fifth Gear but is at least a motoring journalist. No idea why people keep putting up names of people who have no clue about cars.

[soad]

StevieL99 said:

What do you think?

It might end up being a motoring programme again.

No, just no.

[TEKNOPUG]

vikingaero said:

They had 3 Men in a Boat with Dara Ó Briain, Rory McGrath and Griff Rhys Jones. Why not rehash them into cars?

3 men cocking about in boats. As with Top Gear, the vehicles were largely irrelevant, it's the 3 blokes cocking about that the audience enjoy.

[vikingaero]

jonm01 said:

I actually think Jonny 'Car Pervert' will mature in to a great presenter. Tom Ford wasn't that great when he did Fifth Gear but is at least a motoring journalist. No idea why people keep putting up names of people who have no clue about cars.

Tom Fords slightly wacko style translates better on print than on screen.

You heard it here first - a new style:

(1) Julie Townsend, Director of Brake
(2) Caroline Russell, Green Party Transport Spokesperson
(3) Katie Price, role model for our generation

[Jim AK]

TEKNOPUG said:

8pm on Sunday is a dead slot - it was only competing with Antiques Roadshow, whatever dull drama ITV is showing and Great Canal Journeys on C4. It's success is despite it being a motoring show, not because of it. Sunday 8pm on BBC2 is not "the motoring slot". My point is that they be as well to fill that part of the schedule with different original programming, than trying to continue with a motoring themed show.

Well it's a dead slot now!

TG audience requests were through the roof & the programme was earning a fortune for BBC Enterprises, or whatever that bit of the BBC is called.

Then there were spin off DVD's, Top Gear Live, Top,Gear books & Stig products galore. Can't say I've noticed many of these other shows used to endorse a product. In fact all I can think of is a couple of Coronation St DVD's or a Country File calendar!!

[Birdster]

I watched an episode on Dave the other day and it featured the Ford GT review. That episode and the series in general was a nice balance between 'car' based TV and entertainment.

[otolith]

vikingaero said:

Tom Fords slightly wacko style translates better on print than on screen.

You heard it here first - a new style:

(1) Julie Townsend, Director of Brake
(2) Caroline Russell, Green Party Transport Spokesperson
(3) Katie Price, role model for our generation

RACIST!

(you need a bit more diversity)

[uk_vette]

Chris Harris, I bloody hope not.

[95Aero]

StevieL99 said:

Why can't people envisage a car programme that isn't Top Gear?

It may be hard to believe but there are other engaging people in the world apart from those three.

I think there's scope for a motoring programme with Chris Harris, Harry Metcalfe and Steve Sutcliffe or Andrew Frankel.

Problem is, there are so many online mediums through which to watch motoring shows, such as Jay Leno's Garage, Drive, Petrolicious, EVO, Harry's Garage, and many more (Autocar, AutoExpress.. and so on).

[Dave Hedgehog]

uk_vette said:

Chris Harris, I bloody hope not.

Russell has done an audition tape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlT7Ku_UDoc

[otolith]

95Aero said:

StevieL99 said:

Why can't people envisage a car programme that isn't Top Gear?

It may be hard to believe but there are other engaging people in the world apart from those three.

I think there's scope for a motoring programme with Chris Harris, Harry Metcalfe and Steve Sutcliffe or Andrew Frankel.

Problem is, there are so many online mediums through which to watch motoring shows, such as Jay Leno's Garage, Drive, Petrolicious, EVO, Harry's Garage, and many more (Autocar, AutoExpress.. and so on).

There are loads of car programmes that aren't Top Gear.

If you've got Sky, you just need to press this button.



Keep pressing it.




Keep pressing it.




Keep pressing it.



Keep pressing it. You'll get there eventually.

[vikingaero]

otolith said:

vikingaero said:

Tom Fords slightly wacko style translates better on print than on screen.

You heard it here first - a new style:

(1) Julie Townsend, Director of Brake
(2) Caroline Russell, Green Party Transport Spokesperson
(3) Katie Price, role model for our generation

RACIST!

(you need a bit more diversity)

You could be right there. Ashley Banjo and his street dance troupe could add a little pizzazz...

[C7 JFW]

YES.

However there should be female presenters & focus on the modified/tuned community as well. It's been 3 old blokes recording Only Fools & Horses with cars for a long while.

Change is good, it is welcome and it is exciting.

[Ali_T]

vikingaero said:

They had 3 Men in a Boat with Dara Ó Briain, Rory McGrath and Griff Rhys Jones. Why not rehash them into cars?

Because everyone ended up hating Griff because he became a moany, sour faced git? And McGrath's a bit of a bell end. I like the Dara O'Brian idea, though.

Charlie Boorman doesn't seem to be doing much these days, either.

[anonymous-user]

jonm01 said:

No idea why people keep putting up names of people who have no clue about cars.

Because it serves as an example of the sort of presenter-makeup that typifies a BBC show; diverse, right-on and really, really dull.

[Ali_T]

95Aero said:

I think there's scope for a motoring programme with Chris Harris, Harry Metcalfe and Steve Sutcliffe or Andrew Frankel.

Problem is, there are so many online mediums through which to watch motoring shows, such as Jay Leno's Garage, Drive, Petrolicious, EVO, Harry's Garage, and many more (Autocar, AutoExpress.. and so on).

A Youtube video discussing cars for a laugh is one thing, delivering a monotone description of a car in highly technical terms on the most watched factual programme in the world (look it up, it's in the Guiness Book of Records) is another. They'd have people switching off faster than the Katie Price idea!