Blue Peter's Simon Groom racing his Jag S-Type

[geeman237]

This little gem came up on my YouTube recommendations yesterday. Those of you of a certain age will probably remember the BBC Blue Peter presenter Simon Groom. Well apparently he is/was a bit of a petrolhead and this is a short video of him having a go around Silverstone in his Jaguar S-Type back around 1986 if the comments are accurate. You'll see it is wearing a 'V' plate which would be about a 1979? issue, so maybe it lost its original plate? However, when you type that reg (NVV 511V) into the DVLA vehicle check and MoT check, it doesn't recognise it at all. Why might this be? Scrapped?
Interestingly in the video comments someone says they own the car and bought it from Simon Groom in 2002. Could it have been a made up number plate to protect the cars ID on the show? I can't see them being that worried about that sort of thing back then.

https://youtu.be/OXQTPkXBj5Y

[StuntmanMike]

I remember Simon Groom.

But Janet Ellis helped me through adolescence.

[john2443]

According to the list I have, NVV nnn was 1961, NVV nnnH and NVV nnnJ were 1970 but no NVV nnnV so maybe it was made up for the programme?

[OverSteery]

Thanks for that
I am one of the people in the the background at about 8:40 on your clip.

I met Simon's tutor Ray on a couple of occasions - top bloke and have vivid memories of when he took me for a spin in his XJ12C. As an 18 year old, used to my 1100 mini, it was a bit special.

I'm not sure if this is it or whether this is Ray's old Racing S type
https://www.barons-auctions.com/view-lot/831/for-s...

Edited by OverSteery on Wednesday 30th December 17:34

[Touring442]

That was superb! Some of the cars were pretty ropey though - no roll cages :-o

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

Blue Peter often do these racing activities, in 1996 Katie Hill completed the Jim Russell racing course at Donington. She was in the same race as me. I think they got a couple of instructors to start the race and to finish behind her!

[xjsracer44]

Ray is still involved in Jaguar Racing, he started the Jaguar XJS Challenge in 1999, which is what enticed me to start racing. He is an active member of the JEC Racing committee who run the Jaguar Saloon & GT Championship and others.

The S Type auctioned at Barons was Ray’s old race car, Which Ray raced in the video and is now being restored.

[DJRandall]

Hi, I still own the Jag having bought it directly from Simon back in 2002. NVV511V was on the car when i bought it, which had been applied to the car when it was imported from the Isle of Man in 1980. I converted to an age related plate, and its now registered as FNN733C. I hope this helps.

[V41LEY]

StuntmanMike said:

I remember Simon Groom.

But Janet Ellis helped me through adolescence.

Sophie Ellis-Baxter is her daughter

[EthanSmale]

DJRandall said:

Hi, I still own the Jag having bought it directly from Simon back in 2002. NVV511V was on the car when i bought it, which had been applied to the car when it was imported from the Isle of Man in 1980. I converted to an age related plate, and its now registered as FNN733C. I hope this helps.

Fantastic to actually hear something that most would've thought was lost. How's the car these days?

[Simes205]

I remember watching this episode!

[s m]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

Blue Peter often do these racing activities, in 1996 Katie Hill completed the Jim Russell racing course at Donington. She was in the same race as me. I think they got a couple of instructors to start the race and to finish behind her!

John Noakes did the racing Vivas episode too
Used to be on YouTube but haven’t seen it recently

[Blib]

Good to read the post from the car's current owner.

O/T.

John Noakes will forever be my ultimate hero.

[moffspeed]

Looks like Tony Williams wins the race, presumably in "Buy 1"

20 years before this film clip I regularly watched Tony Williams and John Morgan hustle a brace of Jags around the old Llandow oval. Tony's family already owned "Buy 1" but they also raced a far more modified mod-sports MK2, both painted vivid red and entered under the "Risca Garages" banner.

Obviously Tony's son, Grant, is now the spectacular custodian of "Buy 1" - an old lady now, but she shows no signs of slowing up...

[Sebring440]

V41LEY said:

Sophie Ellis-Baxter is her daughter

Is that her Scottish daughter?


Her English daughter is Sophie Ellis-Bextor.