For what it's worth, I think Clarkson plays the part we have come to expect of him ie. the sarcastic arse with only one opinion - his. I think a lot of people watch Top Gear for this reason, but I don't think anyone should take him literally or too seriously - it's an act to win tv audiences and it's worked well for him. Having said that, I now find it Top Gear boring and Clarkson even more so these days. Maybe he wants to quit Top Gear and this is all an elaborate stunt to ensure he goes with a bang! Folkbloke, I am enjoying Henry Cole's Greatest Motorcycle Journeys every night at 8.00pm on the Travel Channel.
Ha ha ... my name's not Bwian but I do have spiwit and a Biggus Dickus lol As for my reply to this thread.........well someone had to play devils advocate at the end of the day. BBC 2 lost 80% (4million) of it's viewers between 8 and 9 pm on Sun so I'm clearly not the only one who's a fan. Also in response to a previous comment about license payers money ... Top Gear earns the BBC massive profits, so by the definition of the word profit, you could argue that it pays for itself and therefore is probably funding other less profitable BBC programmes? And finally on the point of Wallsend ..... according to your Emperor Hadrian, his wall marked the most northern point of the empire....anything further north was simply too cold and too barbaric (commonly known as Scotland )
Pretty much what I said (if I was a bit more long winded) He plays a part, he's now an entertainer not a journalist and he plays up to the "character" that has become Clarkson. I've watched him on many other programmes from QI to Who do you think you are, as well as having read many of his books and columns ... He's a very smart guy who provokes a reaction ... perhaps that is his purpose To be the measure of what is acceptable and what is pushing the limit?? And just to add a little side note ..... If Clarkson had been ill, would they have cancelled the show?? Hammond was in a coma for 4 months and the show continued.
I reckon the Beeb are monitoring market reaction, negotiating with The Knob and then we'll see what happens. Above all else I believe the show, albeit a great money-spinner, has run it's course. It is "lad's telly" pretty-much at it's worst and I for one feel it is a very old-fashioned format that could quite happily be laid to rest. On French telly they have just started the French version of Top Gear. We've also seen the USA and Australian alternatives and tbh they all feel a bit passé - just not as bad as Oaf Gear UK. Again on French telly Saturday night starts with Direct Auto (1.5hrs of excellent car and bike stuff), Sunday morning 10:10am is 45mins of Auto Moto (cars and bikes) then at 11:20am Turbo for 1hr 20mins for all aspects of the automobile: factory visits, test drives at all levels, tours around France, retro cars etc etc. Top Gear by comparison feels - and in my opinion is - LAME. Shut the old lady down before she does anything else embarrassing. For me the single most important aspect of this is that the BBC - imo - is more concerned with profit than quality. Dave
First Car Programmes Top Gear format, irrespective of who is presenting is entertaining and irrelevant to 99%+ of car owners, its different. The polar opposite Fifth Gear was dull boring and when the two fat guys were presenting it was dire beyond belief. Just look at the format of the old Top Gear with Angela Rippon and worst of all Noddle Edmunds, do we really want to go back to that? Now Bike Programmes Suzi Perry used to present one, which was for the most part dull boring and all about sports bikes, Henry Cole's travels, well OK in part but so dull and boring, I have also caught the odd bike programme on Motors TV and they were also dire. Charley Boormans biking adventures had the potential but rubbish Producing and Editing completely ruined them. Do we really want to get the young making bike programmes with rcpa (rearrange) music, fast cuts, blurred images and speech clarity from another planet, just look at any Music Channel on Sky for sheer dross. I will be most surprized if the bean counters do not have the last say, the Top Gear franchise that the BBC has is all over the world, they cannot possibly dump it its too much of a money earner. OK, so they sack motormouth, who do they replace him with? We are doomed ;-)
Two possible options, who are experienced chat show hosts with genuine petrol head credentials. Chris Evans Jay Leno (I'm sure he wouldn't mind spending a few months a year in the UK to gain a new worldwide fan base) Only thing is, I don't think either would attract new/younger followers.....that is if younger viewers would even be bothered about Top Gear at all.
I subscribe to J Leno on youtube he does a series called J Leno's Garage, the guy knows his stuff indeed and owns half the car world and Bikes btw. Again I would rather watch a great Bike show, this is why (when I'm not busy working) I watch our fellow biker Bretherend there and its not all wheelies and daft shit. Internet will kill TV .
I am happy that this topic has had so much interest (if anything it has brought me to some interesting people here) and as I stated I am not a hater however I do believe in the saying live by the sword and die by the sword and you make the bed you lay in. I know capturing an audiences attention takes a little something however I as an artist put myself out there for ridicule too and although i've had my fare share of spit and bottles I try and remain Human. Entertainers are a weird bunch however when the applause stops and the cheers cease you have to deal with that , and Fame? Well its a thing that like the famous story goes you sell your soul to the Devil and sometimes he collects hard. I get more enjoyment now than ever before. Maybe Clarkson after all this blows over will take a look at himself .... be humble, be real because like everything in this world we are disposable.... peace
This is getting a bit boring now - he's getting faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar too much attention. BBC, grow some, sack him and be done with it.
OUCH ! Anyway I agree, let me at that Pillock Clarkson !!! PS Will there be meat pies and bitter in my corner? and "Where's my Camel?"
Of course old Maude as previously stated, if you can imagine a dusky maiden with a body like a model looks like Audrey Hepburn and the household abilities of a perfect woman then "THROW" that illusion in the bin right now.... she once was described as having the charm and grace of an oil rig Docker yet with bigger arms and a finer Beard, her drinking has seen many a challenger fall into a dark abyss otherwise known as her armpit never to be seen again. Her smile is like stonehenge if that is stonehenge was to have less stones and a thick layer of grass and tar stuck to them, the veins in her legs are like the map of the London underground if you were looking at the map through dense thicket, her grip is legendary (maybe a bonus ) , and the tattoo on her hands reads "love and hat" due to losing a finger in a previous fight over a barman taking her ale before she had finished it and may he rest in peace, The simularity of house work is that she has the vacuum power better than a Dyson .
