Top Gear will return, BBC insists

there are loads but the runways are not maintained in most cases, so it will be harder to find one with a good quality surface I would think.

You're telling me that the show that has the budget to hire a team of rocket engineers to shoot a Reliant Robin 1,000ft into the air using 8.5 tonnes of thrust doesn't have the budget to repave a runway?
 
This is where the nightmare internal politics would come into play. Repaving a runway, building a studio etc would all have to come from a central 'buildings' budget - it couldn't come from a programme budget which has to be set and used only on making the programme.

Getting money from the building budget involves making a business case, filling out millions of forms, inviting bids from any company interested and even after all that the BBC won't actually own/run the building - it will be run by the third party company the BBC employs to look after all its buildings.
 
Some elements of the BBC may not like what Top Gear does, but I'm sure all elements like the ratings it brings in...

I might be wrong, but isn't the BBC funded by televison licence fees (indirectly via the governemnt)? more people paying the fees to get the licence means more money for the BBC.

Also from my experince the BBC has always offered a very broad political view...very different from our CBC here in Canada, which tends to lean more towards the left and center.

Paying the liscence fee in UK is compulsory and not a popularity contest I'm affraid.
I hope we are right and it's nothing more but a logistical problem- I wonder why JC wasn't available for a statement? That is my only worry. He's either sitting at home laughing his head off about what mayhem his comment has created, or there has indeed a good reason why he's not explaining what he's said. :cry:
 
Radio One has a James soundbite running on "Newsbeat" every half hour (i think) that basically Jeremy's words in the Sun column were misconstrewed. Top Gear IS safe and will return in the autumn. That's the media circus for you, turning a cryptic remark into some huge yes no game.
 
May says Top Gear will stay
Top Gear's James May has told Newsbeat the show's definitely returning later this year, with all three presenters. There was confusion earlier this week after Jeremy Clarkson hinted it may not be back. But May says it was a mix-up over timing.


Thank you James! :james:
 
Oh good. James has spoken. All is well :D
 
Paying the liscence fee in UK is compulsory and not a popularity contest I'm affraid.

So your saying if you want to own a TV in the UK you must pay the licence? Even if you want to hook the TV up to a play station and never watch the BBC?

How do they do that? do you pay the licence when you buy the TV?
 
"You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV."

More at www.tvlicensing.co.uk

So if you buy a TV without a tuner or with a tuner but don't have an aerial and de-tune all the channels then you don't need a licence.
 
Why does it take half a year to produce 6-8 episodes of TG? How is that possible?
 
Well you can see how something which is 90 percent outdoor shots can take a long time to produce, right? It's pretty obvious why TG takes longer to make than a studio show like QI or even a sitcom.

Plus most British shows have about 6 episodes per series so it's not very unusual... the problem seems to be that the series are just becoming too sporadic. But yeah, there used to be longer series of TG which I miss desperately. We've gone from getting like 20 episodes a year to less than 12.
 
It could be all cause they wont be at Dunsfold now it's being redeveloped...
 
Thank you James. That might put this discussion to rest.

Clarkson must be laughing his ass off. That remark was made on purpose, and he probably intended this to happen :p Why else would he not elaborate on such a statement? :)
 
Well you can see how something which is 90 percent outdoor shots can take a long time to produce, right? It's pretty obvious why TG takes longer to make than a studio show like QI or even a sitcom.

Plus most British shows have about 6 episodes per series so it's not very unusual... the problem seems to be that the series are just becoming too sporadic. But yeah, there used to be longer series of TG which I miss desperately. We've gone from getting like 20 episodes a year to less than 12.


TG episodes of late have been quite elaborate especially with all those big challenges, everyone of them was done up with quality, ie camera work, directions, locations etc so that we all can enjoy an hour of fantasy motorshow and the last season have a high production value. Figures it is not cheap to make one :|

I think they should go back to simpler car reviews plus some mini challenges and maybe one or two mega challenges per season. Still, appreciate very much what the TG team have been doing so far, growing from strength to strength 8)

As for the future of TG, well, if they wanna go then they should end it with a big bang and hope that is not too soon. My two cents says that they will be back for the autumn-winter slot cuz after the hamster crash things have ground to a halt so this summer is pretty much on the recovery, remember that each TG presenters got their own commitment else where too. Plus, they can get their hands on those new models just fresh out of Geneva, that will be a blast :lol:
 
Radio One has a James soundbite running on "Newsbeat" every half hour (i think) that basically Jeremy's words in the Sun column were misconstrewed. Top Gear IS safe and will return in the autumn. That's the media circus for you, turning a cryptic remark into some huge yes no game.

It goes to show how much TG will be missed if they just go off like that. I think they know that it is a good thing they got going and will be such a shame letting everyone down by just bolting off without a proper goodbye :(

Anyhoo, if there is still a strong passion for those working in the show then the show will go on, rain or shine. Cheers!
 
You're telling me that the show that has the budget to hire a team of rocket engineers to shoot a Reliant Robin 1,000ft into the air using 8.5 tonnes of thrust doesn't have the budget to repave a runway?

Actually it is more complicated.
Hiring the rocket team, fair enough, a bit of hard cash, but as for paying to launch it and such, they were on a military base. You ask the army if you can launch and if they say yes, you can do what you want on army property without asking the locals.
Repaving a runway needs more money, plus permission from the council, then planning permission, then hiring the gangs to repave it, then goverment officials coming down to make sure it's safe, then the council checking if the noise isn't too much for the locals.... I'd go on, but I don't want anyone here imploding from boredom.
 
Hate to go OT but I have to ask this now: How much is the BBC's budget for one average (not all stunts and challenges) episode of Top Gear? Production budget in the same way you hear some movie having $90 million.

I agree that the biggest burden in finding a new location is getting the local government to agree to it. If i remember correctly the people who lived around the Dunsfold area were pretty unhappy about TG shooting there. Idiots... I'd be there spotting every single day. :p
 
Last edited:
Hate to go OT but I have to ask this now: How much is the BBC's budget for one average (not all stunts and challenges) episode of Top Gear? Production budget in the same way you hear some movie having $90 million.

I agree that the biggest burden in finding a new location is getting the local government to agree to it. If i remember correctly the people who lived around the Dunsfold area were pretty unhappy about TG shooting there. Idiots... I'd be there spotting every single day. :p

I think it's somewhere between ?500,000 and ?1 million. As far as I know it's closer to the ?1 million mark.
 
To save costs they could repave the new track themselves- they kinda know how to do that :w00t: now...
 
top gear will be back

to me it just sounds like some PR build up, start rumours thats it might not be back, get the fans talking about it whilst its not on, as soon as its back more ppl watch :D
I also think it's so that JC can get more money.
 
Top