Top Gear returns

Posted by Andy Wilman at 11:15AM on Sunday 07 October, 2007 5 Comments

TG TV's executive producer Andy Wilman I was as surprised as the next man to read Jeremy's column in TG mag (read it here) after the last series had finished.

You know, the one where he went "Oh bloody hell we've just done six programmes where we cocked about in some crap stretch limos, crashed some tractors, made a shit space shuttle, forgot to do one single sensible car film and we got eight million viewers, so now what?"

I didn't know he was wrestling with this one, but then again I wouldn't because we're British so we only talk about litter and weather, and likewise he wouldn't have known I was having a wrestle too.

So the quandary is: which way now - cars and four million viewers, or cocking about and eight million viewers? It's a fair question, given we're a motoring show on the one hand, and egotistical TV people who like a nice set of ratings on the other - and one we knew we'd have to address come this series.

We have, and I think we're all agreed that chasing the eight million is bollocks; a false dawn, a night with a hooker when you're drunk. The thing is, the Top Gear audience is made up of several million who like cars, and then several million more bonus viewers; the ones who say "I'm not interested in cars but I like Top Gear..."

It's human nature that as TV makers we'd feel the impulse to go chasing those bonus viewers because it's good for the ratings and good for the ego - like pulling a standoffish girl - you get immense satisfaction in winning the harder prize.

But if we decided to go that way with TG we'd go mad. The bonus viewers want the next film that tops the space shuttle, or the next challenge that out-loonies the limos, and you just can't keep going like that. We'd burn out in two series and look like tits.

So what we've done is retrench to somewhere where we can be more comfortable, and in essence gone back to cars. You know when a huge band brings out a new album and they say "This time we just wanted to get back to guitar, bass and drums and instead of taking three years to make the new record we recorded it in just two weeks," - it's a bit like that.

The big film in the first programme, where the boys take three lightweight supercars and go looking for the best driving road in the world, is probably the essence of what I'm on about. It's just us being comfortable with cars.

But you know what? Secretly I'm hoping the bonus viewers, the ones who normally tune in for an exploding space rocket, will actually love this film because it transcends cars. The cinematography is as good as anything we've ever done, and there's plenty of laughter as the three of them fuel their road movie with bickering. And as for the end, it's emotional. Ultimately, even when they're doing a petrolheady film like this one, those three can still grab millions of kids and grown-ups on a Sunday night, people facing work or school in the morning, and make their weekend finish with a smile.

And anyway, don't think for a moment that we've lost any ambition or drive or vitality, or got tired of being nine years old. We're pushing ourselves as hard as we've ever done. The Botswana road movie, a one hour special, is as spectacular as anything we've ever done, Amphibious: The Sequel is better than I could have ever dreamed of, the 24 Hour Race is a proper soap opera, and as for the Veyron versus the Eurofighter, I know there's pikey mobile phone footage of it all over sodding You Tube, but wait till you see what we've done with it. I hate You Tube and the internet at times; whatever happened to people being patient and waiting whilst you cooked them up a nice surprise? I am 45 though.

So tonight we'll see what happens. I know the eight million viewers madness won't happen again - that last series, what with Richard's crash and everything, was mental. But even if some people do bugger off to watch Wife Swap or Heartbeat, I think we'll keep plenty of non-car people, because I can guarantee we'll still make you happy on a Sunday night.

Bottom line, those three remain the classiest act on TV, and TG remains the best looking show in the world. And I'll offer anyone outside who argues with that. Even the makers of Celebrity Colostomy Bag.

By the way, I've read on our website that an uncut version of the news we do on the telly will be available on Monday morning. Erm, not this Monday it won't. Because so much care was needed with the big films, the editor putting the programme together didn't have time to knock the longer news into shape, so would you mind awfully waiting until Tuesday? See, we're crap as anyone else when we want to be.