Top Gear - new series exclusive
Posted by Andy Wilman at 12:00PM on Tuesday 20 May, 2008 33 Comments
Series 11. Who'd have thought eh?
We were talking about this very thing in the office the other day, about how we used to try and predict how long the show would run for when we brought it back in 2002.
I remember declaring with massive authority that we'd peak around Series 3, and then slide gracefully into oblivion.
Brian, our studio director, told me I was talking arse and said we'd keep climbing up to Series 5, and only then would the Job Centre beckon. Everyone has chipped in with different punts along the way, but thankfully we're all quite thick and our Mystic Meggery has been way off.
Then - it was a busy day - we started talking about how we'd eventually bring Top Gear to a close. We all agreed quite quickly that the cool thing to do would be to kill the show whilst it was on top - take a leaf out of Wham's book or copy Fawlty Towers and just walk out the door before it all gets stale and sad.
That way we could hold our heads up and say we left behind a body of work that was quality all the way, instead of grimly clinging on as the viewing figures and our dignity tumbled.
Quitting whilst you're ahead is a hard path to take - one that requires courage, integrity and moral backbone - which is why in the end we decided to abandon that idea and just keep churning it out until we've outstayed our welcome.
However, although we're spineless we do try our best. But since it is getting harder and harder to come up with new stuff, a few months ago, as the new series loomed, we did something we've never done before - we decided to have a brainstorm.
I'm talking about a proper one like businessmen do. You know, book a hotel with conference facilities, everyone out of the office, mobiles off, agenda for the day, tea, biscuits, whiteboards, the lot.
Looking back, I can't say it went brilliantly. We'd picked a hotel just off the M1, and I mean just off: exit at the junction, right at the roundabout, straight down a road for 2 miles and the hotel is on the right. You'd have to be a muppet to get lost.
At 10.30, half an hour after the appointed start time, James rang and said he was lost, going round in circles in Watford. Jeremy meanwhile, in honour of the brainstorm, had brought along a laser pointer for the power point presentation, with which he managed to blind the waitress bringing in the tea and coffee facilities.
Eventually we got going and item one on the agenda was me kicking off with a little speech. I thought it would be a good managerial thing to do - a few words about how far we'd come, what we'd achieved, and then when everyone felt praised and motivated, smoothly changing gear and outlining the tough tasks that lay ahead - continuing our guardianship of a great TV brand, eyes of the nation upon us, that sort of thing.
I finished and looked round the room. Silence, as the significance of my words sank in. Finally, Jeremy was the first to speak: "Who fancies coming for a tab?"
Eventually we really got going, and item two on the agenda was the news section of the programme. "Be ruthless," I ordered. "Don't be frightened to kill your babies, blue sky the moment, no idea is a bad idea," etc.
So we all thought about it and after a while decided we quite liked it as it was.
And then Richard suggested that during the news, the presenters themselves - instead of the trained technicians in the broadcast trucks - should have control over pulling up the pictures and cueing all the stuff on the screens. Now plainly this is a terrible idea, but since it was already midday and the first idea we'd had, we all voted in favour.
And so the day went on. We looked at every aspect of the show, decided we quite liked those bits as they were as well, and then went to the pub.
Think of the forthcoming series then as a familiar friend, your favourite old jumper that brings comfort, warmth, and things you've seen before. The day wasn't a write-off by any means though, because we came up with a new character, a bit like the Stig, but not like the Stig, who hopefully does exciting stuff for everyone's amusement.
We worked out a plan for tweaking the guest spot, we decided we'd get some new chairs, and on top of that we dreamt up some good ideas for films. Most exciting for me is that we've finally come up with another big race - you know, car versus something or other.
The last time we did one was a couple of years ago, with the plane against the Veyron, and in hindsight we lost the plot in that one - too pompous, too overblown and preposterous, too much work on the scripting to make it funny. This one is back to basics, more hardcore, mega car, mega opponent, with a solid premise. And a clue for the geeks: we did it in Japan.
Elsewhere, we've tackled rural issues such as the fox hunting ban and fascist ramblers. With the ingenious use of cars, we go to war, literally, with a German version of Top Gear (which incidentally means Sabine is back) and there's a very exciting shootout with the RS6 against the most suicidal of skiers.
Jeremy also reckons he has an ingenious plan for improving British police cars, so we'll be testing that theory, and we've always said you can't be a true petrolhead until you've owned an Alfa, so now it's time to put our money where our mouth is.
There's some good metal too - new Evo X against the Impreza, CLK Black and hopefully the Mazda Furai. Overall though, the other thing we're going to do is try and speed up a bit.
We've looked back over the last two or three runs and noticed that a whole programme can get swallowed up by one monster film - a bit like one of those Yes albums from the 70s where side one is just one track - so we're trying to calm down the prog rock side.
Actually a band analogy is a good one here. I was reading the other day how REM had spent ages recording previous albums and tied themselves in knots in the process, but that their latest one was knocked out fast, with short sharp songs that don't outstay their welcome.
We'll inevitably still have big films, cos it's the only way you can enjoy the three of them cocking about together, but they'll be shorter overall, and alongside them we'll be inserting some quick two or three minute punk songs.
Right, I'm going back to the edit.
Andy Wilman is the Executive Producer of Top Gear.
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33 Comments for "Top Gear - new series exclusive"
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Awesome, can't wait for you to be back. "We go to war, literally, with a German version of Top Gear (which incidentally means Sabine is back)"
D-Motor vs Top Gear? Oh yes, please, please!
BTW: As a German, I want more anti-Germany jokes from Clarkson, he's become too soft in the last shows...
I don't see why TG should ever end. The car review part should at least stay fresh just by the fact that new cars are released....
Yeah, yeah, we just need the shows' dates now, so we can book the rest of our lives around them!
Bring it on!
What about the 8C Competizione!?!? I WANT TO SEE JEREMY DRIVING MY DREAM CAR!
Who the heck let Jeremy have possession of a laser pointer? Ha! Although I feel sorry for the woman who got blinded by it. And Captain's sense of direction... well that's no surprise! Poor James!
I'm eagerly looking forward to the next series and I know you guys won't disappoint. Keep up the good work
Come on guys, hurry up and get back on our TV screens. After watching your repeats on 'Dave', I feel I can build my own kit car without instructions!!
Also pull your fingers out and get that Veyron round the track!!
Keep up the good work boys...
I can't wait... in a world that likes to be so regulated, it's good to see an area where people can do everything we've ever wanted to do or haven't thought of doing, even if it is only the TG crew!
Do you know how badly I want that series in South Africa!?! We're only getting started with Series 10 in June!!
Still, great ideas, sub zero topics... can't wait to see it...
You can't have the Furai on Top Gear. No pornography is allowed on a family TV show!
A race in Japan sounds exciting though... Car vs. Bullet Train?
"Who fancies coming for a tab?" Yep. That's what I usually say at that point during a meeting too. Mind you, I bet yours are much more fun than mine!
It sounds like just enough of a nudge to keep things fresh. Now, when do we see it?
Sabine's back, great news. Thanks TG!!
I do hope the three guys keep us Americans as the butt of many more good-spirited jokes and rants as well.
Sure, our cars are mostly 2 tonnes of rubbish on wheels, but it would be insanely funny to see another American road trip or something similar.
Logged on this afternoon and in my inbox is an email from the fine chaps at Top Gear shouting 'newsflash new series exclusive'.
I nearly shed a tear of delight at the prospect that our favourite programme ever was soon to be back on our screens!
So I began to read in earnest the best news of the year so far (and boy, don't we need some good news finally) but what's this?! Talk of 'how we'd eventually bring TG to a close' and 'quitting' ... 'a new character' (surely The Stig is not dead?!). I nearly spat the entire contents of my coffee cup all over my keyboard in sheer horror!
Thank goodness I read further rather than following my initial instinct to pick up the phone to my MP to insist on a Commons' Motion to reinstate our beloved TG with immediate effect the moment the shock hit me.
It seems this was simply a cunning plan of Herr Wilman to deploy shock tactics to get our attention. It worked.
Seriously though, fantastic news and I shall look forward to the guys' cock-ups trying to cue those news items then in the new series. Can't wait.
It took a while to read this through the tears of joy running down my face...
I hope there's another whole-episode challenge along the America/Africa ones. They were pretty damned good. Maybe as a season finale? Y'know... just in case
"We all agreed quite quickly that the cool thing to do would be to kill the show whilst it was on top..."
Upon reading that, the hair on the back of my neck stood up in fear. I honestly thought the next paragraph was going to describe how they were going to end the show. For that brief few seconds, there was no point in living any further... I mean, how could anyone live without Top Gear?
Thanks for the update Andy. We can't wait for the new season over here in the Colonies.
More goofy movies - check!
More Captain Slow - check!
More Sabine - double check!
Actually, the movies are often funnier than the guests. Some of us remember the prog rock albums with fondness, more movies! More long road trips!
What else can I say except MORE MORE MORE!
The start of that blog depressed me quite a bit... Top Gear should never end, TV needs more quality shows like Top Gear; there are no 3 other people on TV with such characters.
I'm only 15 and live for cars because of these 3 men, so keep up the good work lads...
It's about time Top Gear came back on the telly. I am looking forward to watching the episodes, I can't wait to find out who the new member of the Top Gear team is going to be.
I just hope no one is leaving because if Hammond, May or Clarkson left, it wouldn't be the same anymore, and it wouldn't be the same if the Stig left either, because he rocks.
All I can say is HURRY UP! I'm suffering withdrawal here!
I've just discovered TG because I tuned in early to watch Dr Who. It took only the opening theme and I was hooked. It was fun to introduce my 13 yr old grandson to the world of supercars and he loves it. I had to buy him a huge poster of a Lambo after he watched his first show.
We both loved the theme shows, especially the car/boats segments, but the scenery and thrills in Africa were marvelous.
That all sounds fantastic Andy. Keep the guys working until they are in their zimmer frames.
However, to keep with the music analogy, I'm hoping that you don't go too far in removing the prog rock monstrosities. Remember that, although punk gave us a breath of fresh air after pomposity of the mid-seventies, it did lead us into the overblown horror that was the New Romantics.
We really don't want to see a cross-dressing Top Gear adorned with make-up and silly haircuts!
You have no idea how may fans you have. In our little island alone, you have thousands upon thousands!!
Coming from an island where the daily commute is a WW2 Jeep, the Philippines loves TG, don't stop!
Jeremy and the gang are icons of rebellion in our modern society. An oasis of pre-PC/Nanny State/Interfering Govt. that all us proper men bask in and hark back to the days when things were better!
I hope you realise what you have created and that now you can never die! You have created an institution as British as roast beef!
Looking forward to the new series, I'm sure it'll be a hoot! Keep up the fantastic work!
It's about time to get on with a new series. Hats off to Jeremy, James and Richard for making Sundays so interesting, even my wife can't wait for new episodes of TG.All the best guys! LET THE PETROL FLOW!!!
Will Lewis be back? Would love to see him do more laps on a dry track...
First time I saw the programme, I was hooked. I totally love TG, how on earth could you ever think of putting it to an end?? There are millions and millions of your fans out there who would be suffering without you guys, including me.
There are no other people than Jeremy, Richard and James who can make this show better than it is now.
Looking forward to the new series. Keep up the good work!! You guys ROCK!!!!!
I honestly thought you were planning on ending the series. Let me tell you something, my British friends: DON'T EVEN JOKE ABOUT SUCH THINGS!
We here in the States have no other show that can compare to Top Gear. Sick cars, great comedy, twisted challenges, and a wonderful cast of characters all combine to create what has become for me the ONLY can't-miss night on television.
Even my wife enjoys watching the challenges and the celebrity laps, and she doesn't know the difference between a Lambo and a lamb. Keep up the great work, and hurry back please.
Thanks for the update Andy, this is fantastic news since we only have re-runs in the U.S. I've been watching online episodes since the first season and can't get enough.
Oh I really can't wait! The suspense is killing me! I want to find out who this new character is going to be! I feel like a little child who has been deprived of ice-cream for too long... if that makes any sense?! Keep up the awesome work.
How could you even consider killing off Top Gear? It's an institution, an island of sanity in a nanny state. Bring it on guys, quickly, and let the mayhem resume. And don't ever plot Top Gear's demise again, ever !!
At the moment, the only thing getting me through my GCSE's is the promise of the return of TG and the constant repeats on Dave, that are monstrously eating away at my study time.
I sincerely hope that the new series will be as good, if not better than its predecessors.
I eagerly await this new series with baited breath... please don't disappoint me.
WOOHOOOOO!!! Top Gear is coming back. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read you nearly dumped the show. It doesn't get old, even on the repeats.
Who is the new person? Could it be someone to race "proper" shootouts against the Stig himself? A new person to do the news 'cos the guys don't like it? A sneaky person to take spy shots of new cars, thereby creating a new segment? Who knows?
All we know is TOP GEAR IS BACK!