Top gear (Chris Evans presenter of new BBC 2 version)

[Moist von Lipwig]

'may' is now 'have' according to this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33715671

[murf]

not sure it's definite as the headline says

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James may sign for Amazon Prime

Capital M

[murf]

James May (have) added: "We have become part of the new age of smart TV. Ironic, isn't it?"


PS JB 4 TG

[Mystery]

PS JB 4 TG

Highly plausible for me. Martin Brundle gave up the twilight of his career scavenging for dodgy seats and replacement rides for a seat in the comms box and that turned out well.

He'll have not only the freedom to race at Le Mans (possibly with McLaren and maybe with Alonso) but be able to enjoy himself and settle down a bit with his new-ish wife. Oh and drive fast cars, have a laugh and be overpaid for the privilege.

[Hogmeister]

Excellent news that the original (with same producer as well ) is being revived on Amazon Prime, really looking forward to it.

And never gave a damn who was going to co-present the "other show" with that detestable prat Chris Evans - he's the one person guaranteed to make me instantly reach for the off switch on both radio and TV, so never in a million years was I going to be watching that one.

[Tacalabala]

Excellent news that the original (with same producer as well ) is being revived on Amazon Prime, really looking forward to it.

And never gave a damn who was going to co-present the "other show" with that detestable prat Chris Evans - he's the one person guaranteed to make me instantly reach for the off switch on both radio and TV, so never in a million years was I going to be watching that one.

That's what I find so odd about the Evans appointment, he will instantly turn people off, the man is Marmite.

[Maldini]

And Jeremy Clarkson isn't?

[Tacalabala]

And Jeremy Clarkson isn't?

I suspect it's more like than hate with Jeremy. And he is a better presenter, and TG will turn into the Chris Evans Show before long.

[Maldini]

Think you're doing Evans a disservice. Admittedly in the late 90's he became a bit of an arrogant prat (unbridled success can do that to people) but now, he's matured into an excellent presenter and this allied with his undoubted passion for cars will make the show a success imo.

That said, it won't get near the success of the old format and Amazon have pulled a blinder getting them on board. I already have their £79 per year service as it's excellent value but this announcement will get them hundreds of thousands of extra subscriptions.

[bluenosey]

Think you're doing Evans a disservice. Admittedly in the late 90's he became a bit of an arrogant prat (unbridled success can do that to people) but now, he's matured into an excellent presenter and this allied with his undoubted passion for cars will make the show a success imo.

That said, it won't get near the success of the old format and Amazon have pulled a blinder getting them on board. I already have their £79 per year service as it's excellent value but this announcement will get them hundreds of thousands of extra subscriptions.

I signed up for Amazon Prime for free but I thought it was really weak compared to Netflix. I know a couple of people who forgot to cancel after the 30 day trial period and got charged a whopping £79. Well sneaky and put me off Amazon.

I would be interested to see the show but no way am I going to pay. Can't see the great British public paying either and I just don't think the new show will reach out to a wide audience

[Maldini]

For less than £6.59 per month you get...

Unlimited next day delivery

Prime music - access to stream over 1 million songs

Kindle lending library - borrow one book per month from over 500,00 titles

Prime Instant Video - instant streaming of over 15000 movies/tv series

Prime Photo - Unlimted photo storage

I use all of these services except the Prime Photo and a Kindle book alone can cost the price of the membership.

What do you want for £6.59 per month?!

As for people who 'forget' to cancel free subscriptions, how is it Amazons fault that they're a bit dim?

[Hogmeister]

For less than £6.59 per month you get...

Unlimited next day delivery

Prime music - access to stream over 1 million songs

Kindle lending library - borrow one book per month from over 500,00 titles

Prime Instant Video - instant streaming of over 15000 movies/tv series

Prime Photo - Unlimted photo storage

I use all of these services except the Prime Photo and a Kindle book alone can cost the price of the membership.

What do you want for £6.59 per month?!

As for people who 'forget' to cancel free subscriptions, how is it Amazons fault that they're a bit dim?

Totally agree - for us, the charge for Prime pays for itself from free next day deliveries alone, so everything else in that long list above is effectively free

[bluenosey]

I'm enjoying James May's "Cars of the People" at the moment on BBC2. There's a touch of Top Gear about it and May is arguably, the best of the three at informative presenting, as opposed to general laddishness.

Talking of which I see Matt Le Blanc has been announced as a new presenter on Top Gear. No idea how this will play out. I would like to see Sabine Schmidz involved in some way too. Certainly the new TG is going to be interesting (and probably hyped). Could die on it's arse though, which would be bad news for Auntie's coffers.

[forestfan]

Yeah, they've clearly been thinking about their American audience, who are probably less familiar with Chris Evans at the moment, with the Joey signing... presumably next will be a female addition to the cast to complete the line-up, so they tick all the boxes they want to. Still, if the chemistry's not there then basically all the BBC have got left is a race track on an airfield and a man in a white suit and helmet, when they could have just sold the entire format to Amazon or someone else for hundreds of millions.

[Zimmerman]

Hasn't a german woman been recruited too (think she might be off the German Top Gear)?
Think Clarkson met her at the Nurburgring (must have been a long time ago, as it was an episode i recall).

[Moist von Lipwig]

Hasn't a german woman been recruited too (think she might be off the German Top Gear)?
Think Clarkson met her at the Nurburgring (must have been a long time ago, as it was an episode i recall).

Sabine Schmidz as bluenosey says 2 posts up. She's not confirmed yet I think. I also saw over the weekend that Eddie Jordan is set to be involved too. Not too sure about that one.

Still, if the chemistry's not there then basically all the BBC have got left is a race track on an airfield and a man in a white suit and helmet, when they could have just sold the entire format to Amazon or someone else for hundreds of millions.

they might not even have the airfield for much longer as the site owners have put in an application to build houses on it!

[forestfan]

Hasn't a german woman been recruited too (think she might be off the German Top Gear)?
Think Clarkson met her at the Nurburgring (must have been a long time ago, as it was an episode i recall).

Sabine Schmidz as bluenosey says 2 posts up. She's not confirmed yet I think. I also saw over the weekend that Eddie Jordan is set to be involved too. Not too sure about that one.

Still, if the chemistry's not there then basically all the BBC have got left is a race track on an airfield and a man in a white suit and helmet, when they could have just sold the entire format to Amazon or someone else for hundreds of millions.

they might not even have the airfield for much longer as the site owners have put in an application to build houses on it!

If they do, they have to call the streets Gambon, Chicago, Hammerhead etc...

[el_cee]

All confirmed now http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35549427

[el_cee]

Always thought they would ask the German lady but the others were a surprise. Looking forward to it.

[forestfan]

Surely they won't have six of them going out on all the road trips... that would double the budget! I suspect they will try different features with different people/combinations and find out what works. Gives them plenty of options, anyway (while ticking pretty much every minority group box, as plenty have pointed out!)

[Dave_E]

Fans of EJ should read the F1 farewell piece done on him by Joe Saward on his blog (haven't got a link but Google is your friend)

[Moist von Lipwig]

Fans of EJ should read the F1 farewell piece done on him by Joe Saward on his blog (haven't got a link but Google is your friend)

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2016/02 ... revoir-ej/

[bluenosey]

Fans of EJ should read the F1 farewell piece done on him by Joe Saward on his blog (haven't got a link but Google is your friend)

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2016/02 ... revoir-ej/

Great read. Love the bloke to pieces. Last time I went to a GP was Silverstone 2004 (I think). After the track action had finished there was little to do, unless you fancied the half hour trek to "the only pub in the village" and wait a lifetime to get served. Me and my mate decided to check out Silverstone's other offerings. Off limits, overpriced booze, overpriced food and then....what's this ? A gated entrance to the "Jordan party". So we went up and asked. It was £5 to get in, we got six small tinnies each, there was live music in one tent, an auction in another tent which included Ralph Firman's broken wing plate (remember him?), I got to meet drivers Nick Heidfeld and Tiago Monteiro (also, remember him - 3rd in race of four cars ) and spoke to Eddie. Subsidised beer. For the fans. Music....for the fans and so on. Me and my mate got kitted out in past season black and yellow Buzzin Hornets fleeces. Only £5 each (I only dumped mine just recently). I got merrily pissed putting the F1 world to right with other like minded, down to earth f1 nuts. All thanks to Eddie, who tells it like it is. Apologies for the man crush but more than anyone, EJ looked after the fans. I hope it works for him on Top Gear.

[eastcentral1]

(while ticking pretty much every minority group box, as plenty have pointed out!)

Although not really at all. I hate this bollocks. Just because not every presenter (although still the majority of them?) are not straight white men.

[forestfan]

(while ticking pretty much every minority group box, as plenty have pointed out!)

Although not really at all. I hate this bollocks. Just because not every presenter (although still the majority of them?) are not straight white men.

Well, it was always very much a "straight white male" show before, and if they had followed that formula again they would have taken a lot of stick for it, whether or not there was any "positive discrimination" at work.

Having a couple of non-British members of the team will surely boost/help sustain the show's overseas appeal as well, for those who don't know Chris Evans as we do from 25 years of UK TV and radio.

[bluenosey]

(while ticking pretty much every minority group box, as plenty have pointed out!)

Although not really at all. I hate this bollocks. Just because not every presenter (although still the majority of them?) are not straight white men.

Well, it was always very much a "straight white male" show before, and if they had followed that formula again they would have taken a lot of stick for it, whether or not there was any "positive discrimination" at work.

Having a couple of non-British members of the team will surely boost/help sustain the show's overseas appeal as well, for those who don't know Chris Evans as we do from 25 years of UK TV and radio.

It's all about the cars and people that love them, irrespective of anything else ?

I'm a big fan of Sabine, great choice. Plus Eddie. Not sure about Le Blanc, Harris and Reid but we have to remember Hammond and May were unknowns before they became hits. The question is all about the banter/camaraderie and whether you'll get that again, probably not to the extent of the other three, although it became contrived near the end.

[Hogmeister]

Some interesting choices, and Eddie Jordan has always been good value when interviewed at F1 races before. But for me I'll never watch this programme as I can't stand Chris Evans - instantly change channels whenever he's on, TV or radio. Odious little twerp.

Edit: just realised I said pretty much the same thing 6 months ago on this thread. I'll shut up about him now.

[Zimmerman]

Surely they won't have six of them going out on all the road trips... that would double the budget! I suspect they will try different features with different people/combinations and find out what works. Gives them plenty of options, anyway (while ticking pretty much every minority group box, as plenty have pointed out!)

I was wondering if they'd actually still do those road trips... they'd be hard to emulate/recreate the vibe (and personally I'd tired of them and found them far to staged and had long since abandoned the show partly because of that formulaic approach). Anyway, I guess they are doing them;

From a friend (a taxi driver in Blackpool) on Facebook last night:

Fckin Chris Evans and mat le blanc or how ever it's spelt are driving down the prom in a robin reliant convertible with a trailer at about fckin 5 mph for top gear! Wish the ginger bustard would speed up a little

[forestfan]

Well, can't see how they could do a decent car show stuck in a studio with just the occasional track test. They don't have to try and copy the old crew and do it in exactly the same style, but doing Top Gear without going out and about would be pretty dull. Messing about with Robin Reliants does sound very "Clarkson" though...

[Zimmerman]

Watched my first Top Gear in years.

I assume if you liked the old show, you'll like this.bit was pretty much a clone of the 'old' show from how I remember it. Obviously a dislike of Evans might spoil your viewing.

Le Blanc seemed ok.