Top Gear (original format)
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| Top Gear (Original Format) | |
|---|---|
 The Top Gear 1996 Title Screen |
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| Genre | Motoring and Motorsport |
| Picture format | 720x576 (1998-present anamorphic 16:9, pre-1998 4:3) |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Producer(s) | Jon Bentley |
| Starring | Angela Rippon William Woollard Noel Edmonds Chris Goffey Jeremy Clarkson Tiff Needell Quentin Wilson Michele Newman Vicki Butler-Henderson James May |
| Opening theme | Jessica - Allman Brothers |
| Ending theme | Out Of The Blue - Elton John |
| Country of origin | UK |
| Original channel | BBC2 |
| Original run | 1977–2001 |
- This article is about the original format of Top Gear which ran from 1977 to 2001. For the current format, see Top Gear
Top Gear in its original 30 minute format was a BBC television series about cars made by BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham . It consisted of 30-minute magazine format programmes which were presented by a number of people, including Angela Rippon, Noel Edmonds, William Woollard and most recently Jeremy Clarkson, and ran from 1977 to 2001. In 2002, the show was relaunched in a new one hour studio-based format.
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[edit] History
Top Gear started in 1977 originally as a local programme made by BBC Birmingham (Pebble Mill) offered it to the new BBC2. 21 Years of Top Gear, presented by Kate Humble, BBC2 2000</ref>[1] Other early presenters included Noel Edmondsand William Woollard with contributions by Peter Burgess, Frank Page, Sue Baker, Tiff Needell, Tony Mason and Chris Goffey, father of Supergrass drummer, Danny Goffey. The programme was 30 minutes long. The show's theme music was "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers although remixed versions began to be used since 1999. For much of the original series' lifespan, Elton John's instrumental "Out Of The Blue" (from the Blue Moves album) played over the closing credits.
Originally, Top Gear was a magazine show reviewing new car models and other car-related issues such as road safety. Other features included classic car events and motorsport, the latter often Rallying with Tony Mason, Roger Clark's co-driver. Between 1988 and 1991 the programme organised a competition each year to find a new rally driver with the prize being entry into that years RAC Rally.[2] In 1987 a former Formula One driver, Tiff Needell joined the programme and following the arrival of then-Performance Car magazine journalist Jeremy Clarkson in 1989 it saw a massive boost in its audience as it became a more humorous, controversial, and unashamedly more critical programme. William Woollard left the show in 1991 around the same time Quentin Willson, a former used car salesman, joined. The 1990s also saw a new female presenter join, Michele Newman, who still appears on ITV's Pulling Power. Other presenters included Steve Berry, whose speciality was motorbikes, and racing driver Vicki Butler-Henderson who joined in 1997.
Among the shows producers were Phil Franklin, Brian Strachan, Jon Bentley and Ken Pollock.
The show's Executive Producers were Derek Smith, Dennis Adams and Tom Ross.
Despite enduring criticism that the show was overly macho, encouraged irresponsible driving behaviour,[3] and ignored the environment, the show under Clarkson's presentation pulled in huge audiences. It became hugely influential with the motor manufacturers, since a critical word from the Top Gear team could have a severe negative effect on sales. One such example is the original Vauxhall Vectra about which Clarkson said: "I know it's the replacement for the Cavalier. I know. But I'm telling you it's just a box on wheels" However, even more critical statements have not affected sales of the Toyota Corolla, and extreme praise did not help the Renault Alpine GTA/A610.
[edit] Demise
Following Jeremy Clarkson's departure in 1999 the Top Gear audience fell from a peak of six million to under three million.[citation needed] Initially, James May took over Clarkson's spot, presenting reviews of the Rover 75 and Lexus IS200, for example. Following his departure, the programme was joint-presented by Quentin Willson and Kate Humble, who ran an ongoing test throughout the programme between reports. Brendan Coogan, who had joined in 1998 left the show a year later after being convicted of drunk-driving.[4][5] In 2000, Jason Barlow joined from Channel 4's driven and took over presenting for the final 53 episodes. [6] However low viewing figures resulted in the BBC's cancellation of the programme in 2001.
In 2001, Five launched Fifth Gear, a car show featuring many of the former Top Gear presenters including Tiff Needell, Quentin Willson and Vicki Butler-Henderson and with some of the Top Gear production team, directed by Jon Bentley. The name change was required as the BBC would not relinquish the rights to the name, Top Gear (BBC were still publishing Top Gear magazine)[7] After the first series of Fifth Gear was completed, the BBC decided to relaunch Top Gear, but in a new studio-based format as opposed the magazine format used until the cancellation. The show was again presented by Jeremy Clarkson and from the second series of the current format, James May. The pre-cancellation show is referred to as "Old Top Gear" when mentioned on the new show due to the differences in style.
[edit] Spin-Offs and Competitors
Top Gear was a title sponsor of the 1987 & 1988 Formula 1 “Winter Series”, the 1990 & 1991 Historic Rally Championships and the 1992 & 1993 British Rally Championships.[8]
Due to the success of the main show, other motoring shows on the BBC also carried the Top Gear name including coverage of the British Motor Show , a show dedicated to motorsport presented by Tiff Needell, Top Gear Motorsport and the Lombard RAC Rally highlights show Top Gear Rally Report. In September 1993, a spin-off magazine, Top Gear Magazine was launched, featuring articles and columns from the presenters as well as additional contributors. The magazine has grown to become the UK's best selling car magazine (as of August 2006).
Since the early 1990s, the annual Top Gear J. D. Power Top 100 survey consulted thousands of UK residents on their car-ownership satisfaction. For legal reasons concerning the non-commercial nature of the BBC, the actual consultation is now restricted to the magazine format, although results are still used on the show. The survey is now conducted by Experian.
The Top Gear Video Game was not associated with the BBC TV series and the BBC won a court case blocking its creators from obtaining a trademark for it.[9]
After Top Gear's success in the late 1980s /early 1990s, a number of competing programmes were also introduced including Channel 4's driven, ITV's Pulling Power and BBC World India's Wheels. Some of the presenters on Driven would go on to present Top Gear.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ BBC:Top Gear's Chequered Past
- ^ Application to register the trademark Top Gear
- ^ bbc.co.uk: Top Gear too fast for MPs
- ^ ICM Presenters:Brendan Coogan
- ^ bbc.co.uk: Top Gear host quits after conviction
- ^ Emap Automotive Appoints Jason Barlow as Editor of CAR
- ^ bbc.co.uk: Top Gear Team Switch Lanes
- ^ Application to register the trademark Top Gear
- ^ Application to register the trademark Top Gear
[edit] External links
- BBC Top Gear Site
- Top Gear Classic Episode Guide (incomplete)
- Top Gear Opening Titles Videos
- Tiff Needell drives the McLaren F1
| Top Gear |
| 1977 to 2001 - 2002 to present |
| Presenters |
|---|
| Current: Jeremy Clarkson - Richard Hammond - James May - The Stig |
| Previous: Jason Barlow - Steve Berry - Julia Bradbury - Vicki Butler-Henderson - Brendan Coogan - Jason Dawe - Noel Edmonds - Chris Goffey -
Kate Humble - Tony Mason - Tiff Needell - Michele Newman - Angela Rippon - Quentin Willson - William Woollard |
| Episodes and Broadcasters |
| Top Gear Episode List - Top Gear Broadcasters and Video Releases |
| Featured segments |
| Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car - The Cool Wall |
| Spin-Offs |
| Rally Report - Top Gear Motorsport - Stars in Fast Cars |
| Related articles |
| Top Gear Magazine - Jon Bentley - Fifth Gear |
