Richard Hammond says Top Gear to go out on a surprise high
It's not pretty to watch once-popular shows and their stars drag things on years beyond their relevance. Everything that's hot, hip, and new right now -- the media creations that set tongues wagging -- they're all headed for their respective versions of Vegas Elvis. Even Top Gear, regarded by many to be the best car programming of all time, has a Bedazzled jumpsuit hiding somewhere in the wardrobe trailer. Presenter Richard Hammond has said that he, James May, and Jeremy Clarkson have discussed how the show should go out. An exit at the top of its game without undue fanfare seems to be the prevailing wisdom; the only trouble will be knowing when that time is without overshooting it.
Rather than have an over-the-top final episode extravaganza, Top Gear will end its run like a regular signoff, at least if Hammond's vision becomes the plan for closure. Instead of a show full of surprises, the biggest surprise of all will be that there are no more shows forthcoming. Ending TG sounds sad, but it would likely not hold the boys back. The success of Top Gear has opened other doors for the presenters and given them status as media personalities that now makes it possible for numerous side gigs. Hammond himself has several irons in the fire in addition to Top Gear, so even if the program goes out at its zenith, we may yet see the Hamster in that jumpsuit, if only for some stunt on one of his other shows.
[Source: Times Online | Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
arhimede06 2:13PM (9/06/2009)
And now everybody will understand Top Gear is over......
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zamafir 3:37PM (9/06/2009)
yeah, pretty much. entertainingly, his comments fit in quite perfectly with the last episode.
click.kas 5:51AM (9/07/2009)
its the 3 who make it wat it is , watching them present alone ain't no good.
http://www.indianautotalk.com
yacoub 9:11AM (9/08/2009)
@zamafir: The 14th season has already been confirmed and airs this Fall starting in November. So there's at least one more series slated to arrive with the current lineup.
StanleyVanBuren 2:15PM (9/06/2009)
Silly to end the show; it's not like the manufacturers are going to stop producing new cars...
I could see individual presenters retiring after awhile, but the show itself is still larger than the individual presenters... I think.
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gefinley 2:21PM (9/06/2009)
No, Top Gear has become Jezza, Hammond, and James. I don't think it will be anywhere close to the same without even one of them.
why not the LS2LS7? 2:22PM (9/06/2009)
This has already happened several times on Top Gear. But the current run is very distinct from past runs. I have no doubt this will happen again. If Clarkson leaves, it'll be a few years and a new producer will pick it up with another new format.
Chris 2:37PM (9/06/2009)
I kind of agree - new cars are still being made, and I want to see road tests. But Top Gear has strayed from that. Which if fine, I love the show how it is! But can see why they want to retire it. But they should keep 5th Gear, then, and keep that show's focus on road tests, and bring it to the US, too.
lnonnez 2:22PM (9/06/2009)
I will honestly cry when Top Gear ends.
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pocketfulloftoys 2:22PM (9/06/2009)
This is sad. I just started getting into this show. There is no other car show, and few other TV shows, comparable to Top Gear.
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richard 2:26PM (9/06/2009)
The three stars should start a webcast. Only release an episode when there is a car worthy of attention. No more bus races, dropping caravans from cranes and launching Scimitars in to (very) low earth orbit. Just cars going way too fast, with fearless criticism.
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richard 2:27PM (9/06/2009)
Sorry, Reliant Robin, not Scimitar.
yosh 2:26PM (9/06/2009)
Why does he have to talk about this right now? Is it that close to an end? Just end it one season after it peaks, that'll work for me.
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Mike P. 3:01AM (9/07/2009)
I find that while TG is still wildly entertaining, the past season or two hasn't been as epic as Season 10 (Africa and America). Whether this is just a normal up and down fluctuation or whether the show has "peaked" remains to be seen... please give me something fresh for Season 14, TG!
Eric Bandholz 2:30PM (9/06/2009)
It's like the saying that goes, "When you begin talking about retirement, you are already ready for retirement."
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why not the LS2LS7? 2:30PM (9/06/2009)
What a bizarre comment. Has he never seen another series that hasn't been renewed before? Ending without an ending leaves something to be desired.
So I guess Top Gear is coming back soon? They always start the "so and so is trying to kill our show" stories right before it comes back. In a twist, this time they're blaming themselves.
Definitely the show could get stale enough to be ready to retire at some point. Already they lean so very heavily on knockoffs of the old Car and Driver October 1997 $1000 car challenge (84 Camaro Berlinetta, versus 79 Mazda RX-7 versus 82 Rabbit faux-GTI).
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Mike 2:35PM (9/06/2009)
It's not over yet. I think it's about money. They had to scale things back last year and I'm sure that the money paid to the boys is in short supply. This may be a ploy to loosen up the wallets of the BBC. I know the show is a big money maker and Jezza, Hampster and the King of slow want their piece of the action. Shows jump the shark when they run out of new ideas and like Stanley said "manufactures are not going to stop producing new cars". This is too good a thing to mess up for everyone. Remember they only produce 12 or 14 shows a season. I think it takes less than 3 months to produce them. Nice to have the multi million $ salary and 9 months off.
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why not the LS2LS7? 2:44PM (9/06/2009)
It's Captain Slow.
You can run out of ideas even though new cars keep coming out.
I just watched the 14th season of Fifth Gear and each episode is practically identical, they just change the car and celebrity names. "This week, Jason teaches footballer/cricketer/snooker player INSERT NAME HERE how to drive his own expensive grand tourer!"
Mike 2:51PM (9/06/2009)
My bad. I was reaching for the name. I think you might be right about that. They need to put the dollars back into the show, if they realize that it could live on for a long time.
May be Jay could fill the void. I know that he's a stand up comedian but even if he was unleashed I don't see him being nearly as entertaining. Not that I don't like Jay.
teenagertc 2:53PM (9/06/2009)
Does anyone know of a website (even if there are commercials embedded) where I can watch all or at least a lot of the previous episodes of Top Gear!! I am so hooked on the show from BBC America, and I would love to see a lot of the beginning episodes of the show with Hammond and crew!
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