Top Gear - End of the road!
Discussion
Announcment from the Beeb
BBC Two's long-running motoring show Top Gear is being rested after 23 years.
But the BBC has said that the show may return - after a refit.
"The show is not being axed," a BBC spokeswoman told BBC News Online.
Noel Edmonds was an early Top Gear presenter
"Instead it will undergo a complete review to get a clearer idea of what an updated format might be."
Top Gear is being taken off air after the current run ends in late October.
While Top Gear is off the road, two new BBC Two programmes will serve motorists.
'Brand name'
Panic Mechanic will look at radical new car designs, while Top Gear: Car Jack will be a new format in which new and used cars will be reviewed by potential drivers.
"Top Gear: Car Jack will use the Top Gear brand name, which is strong and well-known," said the spokeswoman.
Both programmes will be made by BBC Birmingham.
Quentin Willson was a foil to the more abrasive Clarkson
Top Gear has been one of BBC Two's most popular programmes, recently attracting 3.23 million viewers.
The programme has also been a launch pad for TV talent, including Noel Edmonds, Jeremy Clarkson and Quentin Willson.
The show began on BBC Midlands in 1978.
On its transfer to national TV, Angela Rippon hosted the programme to help broaden its appeal to women - a role recently taken by Vicki Butler-Henderson.
The changes to the programme will not affect the BBC magazine of the same name, confirmed a spokesman for publishers BBC Worldwide.
"All our magazines stand and fall on their own editorial merits.
"The brand is still there. It is the best-selling general motoring monthly," said the spokesman.
The magazine sells almost 170,000 copies per month.
It had to go!
It had become extremely formulaic, with (apart from Vicki and Tiff Needell) uninspiring, uncharismatic, and often amateur-like presenters. All good things come to an end, and it simply had run it's course. Viewing figures had slumped to an all time low since the glory days of Jeremy Clarkson and Quentin Wilson, so obviously something was very wrong with the style of presentation and reportage.
I have been a Top Gear viewer since the 70s, but have found myself not even bothering to tune in on Thursdays recently. Channel 4s "Driven" programme is better directed, has better presenters, and has a far more accomplished, yet somehow rebellious air to it. In fact; just how "Top Gear" used to be.
quote:I think the problem was that it featured MPVs, cars smaller than my bonnet and that irritating Irish bloody student. I don't wish to speak for everyone, but I want to see cars I can't really afford (but you never know) being abused on a track in the same way that I can't on the public road. And I don't want some smug tosser comparing the performance to some stupid analogy like "It goes faster than a greased head up my butt and is more efficient than my use of witty quips". I want numbers so I can wish I had one, or look smug because mine's faster. And they give Tiff 4x4s to play with. The only bit I agree with is "get rid". Edited by Eastie on Monday 13th August 13:37
Good ridence, I say, pointless programme that almost without fail every week features a BMW of some sort and a car which costs 6 figures. Pretty useless for most people
I mean it 
Edited by campbell on Tuesday 14th August 14:17 As Confuscious said "All good things come to an end, especially when they've got a bit crap".
Anyone else remember the glory days of "Performance Car" magazine when Clarkson got given the back page to fill with whatever cr*p came to mind? Lord, that was funny. It was his perfect medium. Sadly PC went to the dogs when it started getting editted by some complete p*nis whose name escapes me.
When I was a young man .... etc, etc
I remember the item they did on the jag sport.....cut to a view up a rainy dull runway, suddenly this gorgeous jag slams into view totally sideways, straightens out and hurtles past the camera with Tiff clearly grinning like a nutter behind the wheel all to the accompaniment of 'song 2' by Blur......classic TV, how can you not like Tiff, even F1 drivers acknowledge that nobody can make a car do what he does so effortlessly
aaaaahhhhhhh! it is sad to see topgear go but it wont be missed for long. as someone earlier said it was either £5000 crappy metros or £250000 bentleys hmmmmm logical, but lets get misty eyed about our favourite bits, mine Chris Goffey and the Jaguar XJ220 turbo lag test! Chris at the wheel putting his foot down...."85", foot down on the go pedal and then as fast as you can say it! "85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 110, 135, 155, 170......" wheeeeeee!
pablo
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