Top Gear: Two decades of the show from Jeremy Clarkson to Freddie Flintoff
The era of Top Gear that involved Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May as hosts is widely regarded as the show's most successful period.
The Top Gear show about cars has always been in a risky situation with the BBC.
Over the past 20 years, the program has been a top moneymaker for the company and has been distributed globally. However, it has also sparked disputes and some of its hosts have been in severe accidents.
Maintaining a balance between the economic merit of Top Gear and the potential risks and scandals it may generate was always precarious. This led to the program being put on hold following an injury sustained by presenter Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff during the previous year.
Last December, the ex-cricket player experienced an mishap whilst filming, which stopped the production of the show. Afterwards, he came to an agreement with BBC Studios, the production company, for a reported £9 million, which covered the earnings he lost in the two years the show was halted.
From 2019 onwards, Flintoff appeared as a co-host of the show together with Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris. Despite some big changes in presenters causing chaos for the programme, these three had managed to stabilize things for Top Gear in recent times.
Have you happened to come across the BBC Studios office in Bristol lately? That's where the crew for the show has been working out of since last year. If you have, then you may have noticed a sizable Top Gear emblem on the exterior wall of the building.
The significance of the show is an indication of how important it is to the company - it is a crucial series that, along with Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing, is seen as a fundamental BBC trademark.
Flintoff, McGuinness, and Harris have been the hosts of the show since the year 2019, and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the show was relocated to an outdoor setting.
Started in 2002, Top Gear was a re-creation of the first program with the identical title. The original series aired from 1977 until 2001 and featured hosts such as Angela Rippon, Tom Coyne, and Noel Edmonds.
A youthful Jeremy Clarkson was also a constant presence on the program, and his straightforward critiques about automobiles were a hit among audiences until he left the show in 1999.
The half-hour show was terminated by the BBC because of decreasing ratings, after two years. A lot of the workers and hosts involved in creating the show migrated to the just-established Channel 5 to collaborate on a different motoring program called Fifth Gear.
However, Andy Wilman, the producer, had a different notion.
He and Clarkson collaborated to create a novel concept for Top Gear, which would add new vigor to BBC's series.
The duo suggested changing the way the show was presented, moving away from the magazine-style format that had been used for decades. Instead, they proposed broadcasting from a studio and incorporating a live audience, which brought more excitement and speed to the program.
The show included famous visitors as well, who participated in a fresh segment known as "Star in a Car That's Not Too Expensive."
During the time when Clarkson hosted Top Gear, there were a number of famous celebrities who made appearances, including Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
The true enchantment of the show was brought about by the dynamic and playful interactions of the three main hosts - Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. (Jason Dawe was part of the initial season but was substituted by May in the following one.)
There has always been a mixed reaction towards Clarkson, but there's no denying that he had a captivating presence on television that even those who didn't like him had to acknowledge. Hammond and May were ideal supporting actors to his outsized persona.
The newly released Top Gear received better ratings than before, and the three presenters were able to stay on the show for more than ten years.
The well-being and security of the show's participants was constantly a concern as they relied heavily on daring feats and rapid movements. Flintoff's mishap in 2022 was not the initial incident where a host had experienced harm.
In 2007, Hammond experienced a severe accident during a filming session. He was operating a dragster powered by a jet engine and was trying to surpass the land speed record in the vicinity of York when he achieved a velocity of almost 320mph.
He made it through the accident, though he expressed concern earlier in the year that his memory was declining due to the impact of the crash.
Back in 2014, Richard Hammond experienced a horrific car accident while attempting to set a new land speed record.
Clarkson, Hammond, and May were involved in several controversies, and there were so many of them that a separate article would be required. A lot of these controversies were due to some viewers' grievances that the hosts lacked cultural sensitivity.
The group frequently went on trips for the show, and would frequently make humorous comments that relied on stereotypes about the locations they were visiting. A number of people who watched the show felt that some of these jokes were discriminatory towards certain groups, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+ or people who belong to certain racial or ethnic groups.
Back in 2014, their vehicle was targeted in Argentina due to a misunderstanding by certain residents who believed that the FKL on the license plate was a purposeful reminder of the Falklands War of 1982.
In the same year, Clarkson received his "last warning" as he was accused of using a discriminatory word during the filming process.
He stated that the BBC warned him of being dismissed if he were to make another insulting comment, regardless of the location or time.
In the next year, the host departed from the program and the British Broadcasting Corporation after physically assaulting a producer due to a disagreement about the provision of heated nourishment whilst recording. Eventually, he expressed regret for his actions.
Amazon quickly hired Clarkson, Hammond, and May and premiered a fresh show called the Grand Tour in 2016. Later on, Clarkson had further triumphs with a new series on the streaming platform, which documented his endeavors to manage a farm located in the Cotswolds.
After Clarkson left, Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc took over hosting duties for the show.
After the departure of the three presenters, Top Gear went through a chaotic phase. The BBC wanted to continue the show and not let it come to a halt. Apart from the television series, Top Gear made a lot of money from various other products such as live shows, magazines, DVDs and books. In earlier calculations, it was estimated that the show generated a revenue of around £50 million per year for the BBC.
After Clarkson left, Chris Evans took charge of the show, but it didn't go down well with the audience. During his stint as a host, there were also some controversies that sparked a lot of debates. One such incident was when his co-host, former actor of the show Friends fame, Matt LeBlanc, and a racing driver performed "doughnuts" near the Cenotaph war memorial in London.
Even though Evans is knowledgeable about broadcasting and loves cars, he didn't quite fit in with the television show's style. He was a host for only one season before quitting. However, LeBlanc continued to be a part of the show.
The performer collaborated with automotive reporters Chris Harris and Rory Reid for a show that was positively acknowledged. However, he eventually departed, resulting in the modification of the presenting team once again.
Towards the end of 2018, two additional presenters were introduced - Paddy McGuinness, who is known for hosting Take Me Out, was appointed as the primary presenter alongside Flintoff. Meanwhile, Harris remained as the third presenter.
Producers and BBC bosses were visibly relieved when the inaugural episode hosted by the new hosts was aired in the subsequent year. It became apparent that the show was in competent hands.
McGuinness was an exceptional TV host, well-known to the audience who made the show more user-friendly. Harris provided car expertise and assisted in preserving the program's fundamental principles.
Flintoff was the brave and adventurous one, always up for taking on risky challenges or daring stunts. The latest season's premier showcased his fearlessness as he took on a heart-stopping bungee jump while strapped into a car, plunging off a dam. It was one of the most impressive feats ever attempted on the program.
The source of the image is Getty Images.
In 2018, the announcement was made that the presenters for the show would be Paddy McGuinness, Freddie Flintoff, and Chris Harris.
The program persisted amid the Covid outbreak - by recording segments outside the studio to conform with social distancing policies, and excursions around the United Kingdom instead of foreign places.
Once the lockdowns were lifted, the show's production shifted to Bristol, and everything went back to its usual course.
However, the filming came to a halt when Flintoff suffered an injury. The specific information regarding his accident was not disclosed, but several sources indicated that he had suffered significant damage to his facial structure and jaw.
According to The Sun, the automobile had overturned, however, it was disclosed that Flintoff had only been driving at a speed of 22mph when the accident occurred.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) organization checked the issue, but they mentioned that they won't investigate it anymore since they have already done their inquiries. It was uncovered that the incident's situation wasn't serious enough to require additional investigation.
The first time Flintoff got photographed after his accident back in September was at a cricket event. His facial injuries were still noticeable.
You could clearly see how serious their injuries were even after they had been recovering for nine months. There had been no progress on filming the show during that time, leading many people to believe that it would never happen.
The BBC is taking a break from airing the show in order to gather itself. The duration of this pause is uncertain, and it is still possible that the show could be cancelled in the end.
It's doubtful that the BBC will attempt to replace the missing show slot with another programme about cars. TV shows centred around vehicles aren't exactly the solution to television's problems. If they were, there'd be a lot more prosperous ones.
The success of Top Gear was due to the combination of personalities who presented it and the added excitement of its BBC broadcasting that allowed for more daring and unconventional content. However, when Clarkson, Hammond, and May transitioned to Amazon, their charm seemed to dwindle and their mischievous antics lost their luster.
Many people believe that Top Gear lost its magic when Clarkson departed. It is likely true. However, fans can still relive the show's glory days through reruns on Dave channel for several years to come.
Nevertheless, Top Gear has come to a crossroads. Since production is on hold, the BBC will suffer financially without it due to the immense revenue it generated globally.
