Television Top Gear

Coxy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Messages
3,225
Location
Derby
I had never heard of Kidd before and I still ended up in tears over that segment, really good stuff and a great tribute.

I also agree on the new trio, they get way too much crap thrown their way simply because they aren't Clarkson, Hammond and May. The old guys perfected their show over two decades yet some people seem to think that Harris&co should be just as good right out of the gate which is obviously BS, they do make a great show and it's only getting better for each season imo.
Fully agree - it was quite emotional.

I'm enjoying the series - I got bored of Clarkson et al so stopped watching Top Gear - but I really like these 3.

Especially enjoyed the caravan segments in the latest episode :D
 

buchansleftleg

Full Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
3,715
Location
Dublin, formerly Manchester
I was really disappointed that continued with a tired old trope about range anxiety and running down an electric car till it has no range.

The cars sat nav will tell you you haven't got the necessary range and will suggest places you could get a charge. 10-15 minutes of ultra rapid charging and they'd all have had more than enough range.

Just google how many petrol or diesel cars run out of fuel on Britain's roads, versus yhe number of electric cars that need to be towed.

The chilli's must have infected their brains or something maybe. Sad really as Harris has always been reasonably balanced about electric cars in the past.
 

sebsheep

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
Joined
Jun 1, 2014
Messages
11,155
Location
Here
I was really disappointed that continued with a tired old trope about range anxiety and running down an electric car till it has no range.

The cars sat nav will tell you you haven't got the necessary range and will suggest places you could get a charge. 10-15 minutes of ultra rapid charging and they'd all have had more than enough range.

Just google how many petrol or diesel cars run out of fuel on Britain's roads, versus yhe number of electric cars that need to be towed.

The chilli's must have infected their brains or something maybe. Sad really as Harris has always been reasonably balanced about electric cars in the past.
It did come across as a bit weird, as if when you have a petrol or diesel car you suddenly don't need to top up. :lol:
 

Zlaatan

Parody Account
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,779
Location
Sweden
I was really disappointed that continued with a tired old trope about range anxiety and running down an electric car till it has no range.

The cars sat nav will tell you you haven't got the necessary range and will suggest places you could get a charge. 10-15 minutes of ultra rapid charging and they'd all have had more than enough range.

Just google how many petrol or diesel cars run out of fuel on Britain's roads, versus yhe number of electric cars that need to be towed.

The chilli's must have infected their brains or something maybe. Sad really as Harris has always been reasonably balanced about electric cars in the past.
I saw it more as a show&tell of how different the cars were rather than a slight against electric cars as it was simply a challange to see who could get to the destination with whatever charge they had left. They've done the exact same thing with petrol cars in the past where they've gotten X amount of fuel and not been allowed to top up.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,458
Location
Manchester
I was really disappointed that continued with a tired old trope about range anxiety and running down an electric car till it has no range.

The cars sat nav will tell you you haven't got the necessary range and will suggest places you could get a charge. 10-15 minutes of ultra rapid charging and they'd all have had more than enough range.

Just google how many petrol or diesel cars run out of fuel on Britain's roads, versus yhe number of electric cars that need to be towed.

The chilli's must have infected their brains or something maybe. Sad really as Harris has always been reasonably balanced about electric cars in the past.
They were comparing the cars though right? Not having a go at electric cars. They basically filled them the same and carried out the same activities then saw which lasted the longest?
 

iammemphis

iwillnotaskforanamechangeagain
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,003
Location
Hertfordshire
I just can't stand the unnatural and scripted banter they pretend to have, cracking unfunny jokes while the audience laugh. Least with Clarkson, May and Hammond it felt original.
 

lsd

The Oracle
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
10,839
I just can't stand the unnatural and scripted banter they pretend to have, cracking unfunny jokes while the audience laugh. Least with Clarkson, May and Hammond it felt original.

Yeah I agree they clearly do not have the friendship Clarkson and Co do with each other and it shows.

It's like they are trying to hard and they are not exactly good actors.

Think I read Paddy saying something about moving on soon. If they are going to continue the show I think the best thing would be go with totally new presenters chosen for their car knowledge and let them build a relationship naturally.

They keep trying to just shoehorn in ready made celebrities for some reason and I don't think that works whether it's Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc or McGuinness and Flintoff
 

Ayoba

Poster of Noncense.
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
8,427
It was an okish episode but why did the producers feel the need to add a filter for the scenes in Florida? It was really distracting!
 

Murder on Zidane's Floor

You'd better not kill Giroud
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
28,597
Yeah I agree they clearly do not have the friendship Clarkson and Co do with each other and it shows.

It's like they are trying to hard and they are not exactly good actors.

Think I read Paddy saying something about moving on soon. If they are going to continue the show I think the best thing would be go with totally new presenters chosen for their car knowledge and let them build a relationship naturally.

They keep trying to just shoehorn in ready made celebrities for some reason and I don't think that works whether it's Chris Evans, Matt LeBlanc or McGuinness and Flintoff
McGuiness is the weak link. I think it has to stop soon or get another car guy in to dovetail with Harris and Freddie. It's a shame because Harris is awesome and a great presenter/car guy. But it's, since 03, never really been a car show, it's an entertainment show.

I actually disagree about the friendship, because it was well known that outside of filming the old trio didn't socialise or hang out etc. Think James May said they weren't really mates off air.
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
30,340
Supports
Everton
I think it’s time they ended it and changed to a 30min programme with people that know about cars and is a bit more ‘serious’ rather than a gimmick. It’s impossible to replace the trio that made it what it is.
 

lsd

The Oracle
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
10,839
McGuiness is the weak link. I think it has to stop soon or get another car guy in to dovetail with Harris and Freddie. It's a shame because Harris is awesome and a great presenter/car guy. But it's, since 03, never really been a car show, it's an entertainment show.

I actually disagree about the friendship, because it was well known that outside of filming the old trio didn't socialise or hang out etc. Think James May said they weren't really mates off air.

May always says that that's part of his on screen character that he hates Clarkson then two minutes later he is calling him his best mate and laughing his head off.

I'm sure they don't socialize off screen that much as they are grown men with lives outside the show but when they do get together they are clearly friends.

The fact May and Hammond quit the show when Clarkson was let go shows the bond they have.

Yes they are a lot ticket now but they wouldn't have known that would happen they just didn't want to do the show without him as the bond wouldn't have been there with anyone else.

As for the current yes McGuiness is the weak link he had his own friendship to thank for his career. I've never seen any sign of talent in him at all yet he gets show after show where he just talks rubbish and laughs incessantly at his own unfunny jokes.

Flintoff is actually on but he is not a car expert and clearly not best mates with Chris or Paddy.

If they are going to continue three show them they need to do what they are doing now in trying to replicate they golden era and try something new
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,281
May always says that that's part of his on screen character that he hates Clarkson then two minutes later he is calling him his best mate and laughing his head off.

I'm sure they don't socialize off screen that much as they are grown men with lives outside the show but when they do get together they are clearly friends.

The fact May and Hammond quit the show when Clarkson was let go shows the bond they have.

Yes they are a lot ticket now but they wouldn't have known that would happen they just didn't want to do the show without him as the bond wouldn't have been there with anyone else.

As for the current yes McGuiness is the weak link he had his own friendship to thank for his career. I've never seen any sign of talent in him at all yet he gets show after show where he just talks rubbish and laughs incessantly at his own unfunny jokes.

Flintoff is actually on but he is not a car expert and clearly not best mates with Chris or Paddy.

If they are going to continue three show them they need to do what they are doing now in trying to replicate they golden era and try something new
The old trio always said they got on well but since they were virtually always working or travelling somewhere together, in their limited free time they didn't need to see each other.

Paddy, Flintoff and Harris are the best of the new hosts but still miles away from the old Top Gear. I think it's probably time for it to end once the current presenters call it a day.
 

Rado_N

Yaaas Broncos!
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
111,062
Location
Manchester
I think it’s time they ended it and changed to a 30min programme with people that know about cars and is a bit more ‘serious’ rather than a gimmick. It’s impossible to replace the trio that made it what it is.
Just sub to Collecting Cars on YouTube, there’s loads of great Chris Harris vids. Just him in a car talking with enthusiasm.

Harris is brilliant when he’s in proper car journo mode, I could listen to him talk cars all day long.
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
30,340
Supports
Everton
Just sub to Collecting Cars on YouTube, there’s loads of great Chris Harris vids. Just him in a car talking with enthusiasm.

Harris is brilliant when he’s in proper car journo mode, I could listen to him talk cars all day long.
cracking, thanks!
 

Rado_N

Yaaas Broncos!
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
111,062
Location
Manchester
cracking, thanks!
Check out Throttle House too for car reviews. It’s a Canadian channel but one of the two guys is English, and they’re really funny together as well as very knowledgeable and give good reviews on a wide range of cars.
 

lsd

The Oracle
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
10,839

Makes you wonder why they felt the need to throw the likes of McGuiness and Flintoff onto him.

I liked Rory as well from the earlier era they really could have made something special without going down the celebrity route
 

Ajr

Probably no longer under surveillance
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Messages
3,972
Location
Thinking up of my next genius thread
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65056723.amp

Could this be the end of the show for good?

I did find it odd that so little detail has been leaked about the Flintoff crash, especially given it was allegedly quite minor.

Can only assume there’s been some health and safety breaches in terms of the production and now it’s all come to a head.
They probably did that yeah, breached health and safety and now afraid of a big payout for him.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,458
Location
Manchester
They probably did that yeah, breached health and safety and now afraid of a big payout for him.
Is there any info out there about the crash and what happened? It all seemed to be kept very hush and Flintoff seems to have vanished
 

pauldyson1uk

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
55,312
Location
Wythenshawe watching Crappy Fims
Is there any info out there about the crash and what happened? It all seemed to be kept very hush and Flintoff seems to have vanished
I thought the same, Top Gear has had many crashes over the years and footage has been seen on you tube or where ever very easy, not seen a single frame of this one or Freddy, from what I have read it was a bad one.
Could this be the end of Top Gear ?
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,458
Location
Manchester
I thought the same, Top Gear has had many crashes over the years and footage has been seen on you tube or where ever very easy, not seen a single frame of this one or Freddy, from what I have read it was a bad one.
Could this be the end of Top Gear ?
Have any theories been posted online about it? It’s very strange and now they have cancelled the series.

I was under the impression the crash was low speed and played down a minor so perhaps I got that wrong?

Also odd not to see Flintoff appear in public at all since it happened in December. Literally don’t think he’s been seen nor has he appeared on TV. Very strange given how popular he is.
 

Big Andy

Bloke
Joined
Oct 23, 2003
Messages
34,610
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65056723.amp

Could this be the end of the show for good?

I did find it odd that so little detail has been leaked about the Flintoff crash, especially given it was allegedly quite minor.

Can only assume there’s been some health and safety breaches in terms of the production and now it’s all come to a head.
Flintoff was famously eager to chuck himself in and was openly vocal about pushing it to the limit in previous episodes.

Not surprised though, given he's a cricketer with zero professional driving skills
 

Rado_N

Yaaas Broncos!
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
111,062
Location
Manchester
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65056723.amp

Could this be the end of the show for good?

I did find it odd that so little detail has been leaked about the Flintoff crash, especially given it was allegedly quite minor.

Can only assume there’s been some health and safety breaches in terms of the production and now it’s all come to a head.
In a statement, the BBC said: "We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.

That would strongly imply some kind of failing in terms of safety, yea.

I think I’ve watched maybe 2 episodes since the current lot took over, there’s FAR better car content on YouTube, including Chris Harris’ own channel.
 

pauldyson1uk

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
55,312
Location
Wythenshawe watching Crappy Fims
Have any theories been posted online about it? It’s very strange and now they have cancelled the series.

I was under the impression the crash was low speed and played down a minor so perhaps I got that wrong?

Also odd not to see Flintoff appear in public at all since it happened in December. Literally don’t think he’s been seen nor has he appeared on TV. Very strange given how popular he is.
Yeah he was always on TV and doing stuff, I have read stuff that said the accident was life changing to it was nothing to worry about, I suspect somewhere in between, but unless somebody or Freddy tells us we will never know.
Very strange it has been swept under the carpet.
OK this is from the Mirror, but its the same I have read a few times.

Freddie Flintoff has reportedly told friends he is 'unable to continue' playing the role of a daredevil on Top Gear after his horrific crash.

The former cricketer, 45, is said to be 'seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash' that left him 'lucky to be alive' last year.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/freddie-flintoff-cant-continue-daredevil-29537838
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,458
Location
Manchester
Yeah he was always on TV and doing stuff, I have read stuff that said the accident was life changing to it was nothing to worry about, I suspect somewhere in between, but unless somebody or Freddy tells us we will never know.
Very strange it has been swept under the carpet.
OK this is from the Mirror, but its the same I have read a few times.

Freddie Flintoff has reportedly told friends he is 'unable to continue' playing the role of a daredevil on Top Gear after his horrific crash.

The former cricketer, 45, is said to be 'seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash' that left him 'lucky to be alive' last year.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/freddie-flintoff-cant-continue-daredevil-29537838
I can only assume there’s some kind of legal action hence him keeping quiet perhaps? Especially if there’s alleged breaches of health and safety.

It all feels a bit Michael Schumacher-ish in the sense he’s literally vanished since the collision and as you say he was always on TV in some kind of capacity. Fully expected him to have been giving an interview by now talking about what happened and saying how lucky he was etc.
 

sglowrider

Thinks the caf is 'wokeish'.
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Messages
25,201
Location
Hell on Earth
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65056723.amp

Could this be the end of the show for good?

I did find it odd that so little detail has been leaked about the Flintoff crash, especially given it was allegedly quite minor.

Can only assume there’s been some health and safety breaches in terms of the production and now it’s all come to a head.
After doing a bungee with a car off a dam, I am not sure how any other stunt could be more dangerous.



I mean I have done a few bungees but with a car? That's madness
 

pauldyson1uk

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
55,312
Location
Wythenshawe watching Crappy Fims
Not seen much about the crash, this is about it.

On 13 December last year, the former England cricket captain was involved in a crash on the test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey where the presenters review cars and undertake challenges.

He and a crew member were reported to have been driving a Morgan Super 3, an open-top British handmade vehicle described as a ‘motorised tricycle’, when it overturned.

Flintoff was said to have suffered facial injuries and broken ribs in the incident and was airlifted to hospital.

After the crash his 16-year-old son Corey told MailOnline his father was okay but was “lucky to be alive.”

‘It was a pretty nasty crash”, he said, “We are all shocked but just hope he’s going to be OK.”
 

Rado_N

Yaaas Broncos!
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
111,062
Location
Manchester
He and a crew member were reported to have been driving a Morgan Super 3, an open-top British handmade vehicle described as a ‘motorised tricycle’, when it overturned.
So he was driving one of these:



On track and seemingly without a helmet if he’s suffered facial injuries? Or at least not a full helmet.

That’s a pretty huge health & safety failing and also bloody stupid from him personally if that’s what’s happened.
 

pauldyson1uk

Full Member
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
55,312
Location
Wythenshawe watching Crappy Fims
So he was driving one of these:



On track and seemingly without a helmet if he’s suffered facial injuries? Or at least not a full helmet.

That’s a pretty huge health & safety failing and also bloody stupid from him personally if that’s what’s happened.
I presume it one of those yet and like you say , no helmet is a hugh Heath and safety lasp.
Also the reports saying it was minor and he walked away, his son says he was airlifted away, so somebody in not telling the truth.
Alos nothing about the crew member with him.
I would think a high speed crash on this with no helmet would be far from minor.


The Super 3 takes seven seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph and the top speed is given as 130 mph (210 km/h).
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,458
Location
Manchester
Freddie was seen at the cricket. First time spotted since the crash.

His face is heavily scarred and bares the signs of heavy cosmetic surgery from what I could see. Looks like a de-gloving type injury. He’s still got dressings on his nose.

This was obviously way more serious than was made out.
 

sglowrider

Thinks the caf is 'wokeish'.
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Messages
25,201
Location
Hell on Earth
Freddie was seen at the cricket. First time spotted since the crash.

His face is heavily scarred and bares the signs of heavy cosmetic surgery from what I could see. Looks like a de-gloving type injury. He’s still got dressings on his nose.

This was obviously way more serious than was made out.
Yeap. His face looks almost disfigured. Lots of plastic surgery ahead -- and I bet while he's there he will do a bunch of freshening ups!
 

Ayoba

Poster of Noncense.
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
8,427
Freddie was seen at the cricket. First time spotted since the crash.

His face is heavily scarred and bares the signs of heavy cosmetic surgery from what I could see. Looks like a de-gloving type injury. He’s still got dressings on his nose.

This was obviously way more serious than was made out.
I wish I hadn't googled degloving injury :nervous:
 

Ayoba

Poster of Noncense.
Joined
Feb 2, 2021
Messages
8,427
Wow, just seen the latest pictures of him, the scars look fresh but he was in an accident months ago. It must've been really bad