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Top Gear chat.
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Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 1 Apr 16 at 13:43
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It isn't as if we weren't given a lot of warning of the ginger bombshell's arrival.
He's an intelligent fellow who likes cars but I'm afraid TG will bring out the worst in him having a ghastly patronising attitude to its viewers.
I look forward to this with some trepidation.
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And as he has also said he's not leaving the radio show he apparently does, then clearly they, or at least he, won't in the new format of TG be swanning off anywhere much to make films.
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So Chris Evans has let me down. Know he loves cars, but said he wouldn't be taking the Top Gear job even if offered.
Top Gear will never be the same without Clarkson, Hammond and May - it's not like Last of the Summer Wine and will surely lose a great deal of its appeal.....:-(
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>> Last of the Summer Wine
Yes! That's who Clarkson, Hammond and May are: Compo, Foggy and Clegg!
Eureka!
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From the moment in March that the conceited and irritating little oik said.....
"From what I've seen on Twitter and various social media, there's a 50/50 split approximately as to whether me being involved in the show is a good idea."
He continued: "In TV or radio, if you get a 50/50 love/hate reaction that usually equals massive hit. I used to work for [ratings body] BARB and knock on people's doors and this was the rule of thumb.
"However, I'm in the no camp. So regardless of whether it would be a hit, I'm voting a no for myself on that show, so that's never going to happen."
It was obvious what he was after.
Despite him going on Twitter and saying...
Re SkyNews Top Gear debate. I can categorically say I am not and will NEVER be running for office. Pls discount my candidacy
Chris Evans (achrisevans) March 11, 2015
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Chris Evans - AKA Marmite (i.e. you either love him or hate him)
It was good to see him on the revival/anniversary of TFI Friday last week, but I'm not sure I could put up with him on TG.
Who will his co presenters be - Danny Baker and Billy Piper?
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Mmmmm Billy Piper........
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>Chris Evans - AKA Marmite (i.e. you either love him or hate him)
He comes across as a dick. I also find his persona very irritating.
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>> He comes across as a dick. I also find his persona very irritating.
Some say that could apply to Clarkson as well though.
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>>Some say that could apply to Clarkson as well though.
Absolutely.
Everybody will come across as a dick to someone. Even, and you may struggle to believe this, me.
The point is with a television program is that it depends who you are pishing off. Its probably not that important if I don't watch it, because maybe he just annoys me.
However, if I am within their target audience, and if he pishes off me and my friends, then that is an issue.
If I go by the audience I see on the TV, then I would guess that the Top Gear audience is 25 - 35, mostly male ( you have to take a woman with you to see the show, so quite a lot of the women you see there have been coerced or will seek payback, and the producers literally walk around and choose who will stand at the front), and seeking motoring oriented entertainment - Seems to me they're looking for boys being boys, rather than necessarily being petrol heads.
So will Chris Evans appeal to them? Frankly I don;t know because I'm not one. I will watch the first few to see, but I'd be quite surprised if I could take his attitude for more than that - I just don't like faux-whacky.
Here's hoping though.
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>> I just don't like faux-whacky.
He might tone it down - he played it 'straight' on Sunday Brunch at the weekend, although of course he was a guest rather than presenting. But he might decide that approach is more appropriate for the target audience. He's no mug (IMO).
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I gave up on TG 3 or 4 years ago and having Evans as the presenter is unlikely to have me rushing back to watch it !
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I did the same and feel the same as Skip.
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>> I did the same and feel the same as Skip.
Me too, only perhaps a bit earlier.
More precisely it was the episode when Hammond returned after his crash and head injury. What should have been an opportunity for a serious segment on road accidents and brain injury was reduced to juvenile remarks about dribbling. At that point it became crystal clear that any pretence at serious commentary was gone.
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Damn!
I was hoping that Sabine Schmitz would get it.
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Who says she hasn't? It's not a one person show.
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True.
It is/was a 'one plus two sidekicks' show.
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>> Sabine Schmitz
She can drive. Other than that she's kind of irritating. IMO only, of course.
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Well, I don't mind who presents it or what the show is called as long as the format is different and that means without the childish pranks and inanities exhibited by the last iteration of TG.
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Interesting interview with Chris Evans on Five Live this morning. He sounds incredibly enthusiastic about the project. Did glean that there will be at least one woman in the show and the Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car format will continue.
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>> and the Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car format will continue.
Which should be renamed "I'm only really here to promote my latest film/book/charity event/song" * (*delete as appropriate)
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 17 Jun 15 at 10:41
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Possibly but I'm prepared to go out on a limb here.
After a year or so the new program's viewing figures will exceed those of the last series.
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I wouldn't be surprised. I think the BBC R2 show increased its viewing figures after a year of he took over from Wogan.
I think the mistake is to believe that he is taking over Top Gear. The reality is that he is starting a new show which simply has the same name.
I doubt it will have the same international appeal though.
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"the BBC R2 show increased its viewing figures"
If only among people who stare at their radios...
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Meanwhile, the last ever episode with Hammond, May, & Clarkson will be broadcast on the 28th June @ 20:00
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33153633
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 17 Jun 15 at 13:30
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Crumbs, there's a lot of people moaning about Chris Evans on here without seeing how he does - almost more than moaned about Clarkson & Co.
Give him a chance. Then if you don't like it, by all means moan away!
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It's change. Difficult for some to cope with.
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Change is to be encouraged.
Let's have some sensible discourse about cars for a change. Without too much cheeky chappie stuff. That would be all right after years and years of Compo, Foggy and Clegg.
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Will Stig be forced to listen to Chris's radio show while driving around the track?
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I see Jodie Kidd's suggested as a co-presenter.
Anyone see that execrable motoring program she presented with Quentin Wilson? I thought she came over as really wooden.
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>> I see Jodie Kidd's suggested as a co-presenter.
Also Guy Martin, Philip Glenister, and Dermot O'Leary's names have been mentioned.
Is it also a co-incidence that Suzi Perry and Jason Plato were on TFI Friday last week? Could they poach Plato away from 5th Gear?
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 17 Jun 15 at 19:51
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Plato isn't on 5th Gear this series anyway.
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>>Let's have some sensible discourse about cars for a change.
By all means. I'd find it boring though, and programs focusing on cars rather than cheekie chappies have historically not done very well.
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Or Vick Butler-Henderson. Lets not forget she's married to Top Gear series director, Phil Churchward
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>> Or Vick Butler-Henderson.
Thought about her when I ran past a parked A3 this morning with a 2VBH plate. Does she live in/around Bath?
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The part I hate the most is the SIARPC.
However that is probably for marketing purposes, most likely to stay in place. Lets them tap into new audiences, fan groups and sometimes parts of the world they may be targetting
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Evans was interviewed on The One Show tonight. Auditions for new presenters are to be launched tomorrow. Evans is producer as well as presenter, seemingly. Suspect he will drop his involvement with The One Show, but keep the breakfast show on.
I'm willing to give him time. I didn't want Wogan to go, but have to accept he has reinvigorated the breakfast show.
Last edited by: Alastairw on Wed 17 Jun 15 at 22:40
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>> I didn't want Wogan to go, but have to accept he has reinvigorated the breakfast show.
Bear in mind I haven't listened in two or three years. The time difference means that I listen to Ken Bruce on the school run and Evans may well have improved.
However, at the time of the change I was in Europe. I didn't want Wogan to go, but there was enough refreshing / different about Evans that I reluctantly could see that it was time and that Evans was going to gain a larger audience.
However, there was enough irritating, puerile and tedious that even though I could see the need and value, I switched to Jack FM for breakfast.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Wed 17 Jun 15 at 22:42
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I do miss Janet & John....
Pat
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You should get the book, Pat. The stories just beg to be read aloud.
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This is Ade and Rick's reaction to the news.
MOST DEFINITELY NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK VIEWING
youtu.be/A0JzvcmafqM
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Goodness me. I don't know who Chris Moss is, but he REALLY doesn't like cars. Or Top Gear.
Link to Telegraph.
tinyurl.com/opmsvtv
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My mate used to know a priest called Father Chris Moss. Always tickled us that one. A bit like his German lady friend, Silke Busch. Other reasons, obviously.
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Chris Moss is a piece of work, isn't he? I wonder how he gets about..?
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Thanks Alistair, I really didn't know they did the books.
One has been ordered from Amazon already!
Pat
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I must have led a sheltered life, I didn't know they did CD's either.
You're going to cost me a fortune now;)
Pat
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>> I do miss Janet & John....>>
Absolutely hilarious when Terry, Lynn and Alan Dedicoat read them and, later, on Weekend Wogan with John Marsh etc.
You can watch them on YouTube and BBC's Radio Player. Some examples:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8U612YLjHQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tKnsZCELD4
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>> However, at the time of the change I was in Europe. I didn't want Wogan
>> to go, but there was enough refreshing / different about Evans that I reluctantly could
>> see that it was time and that Evans was going to gain a larger audience.
>>
>> However, there was enough irritating, puerile and tedious that even though I could see the
>> need and value, I switched to Jack FM for breakfast.
>>
I agree far too loud and shouty for me. Plus I got sick of him going on about his wife and kids, they are of no interest to me whatsoever !!!
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It might work.I used to watch Top Gear regulary then it got all a bit daft in the end.
Clarkson has been pushing his luck for a while in my opinion.Evans likes cars and he is a bit crazy the type you need for Top Gear.
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Another good reason to eschew Top Gear.
Mind you it could be worse ; they could have chosen Ant & Dec,
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The boys are still upsetting people, no matter where they go.
"Clarkson makes tasteless Oscar Pistorius joke"
tinyurl.com/qxmmlob - metro.co.uk
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 26 Jun 15 at 13:56
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>> The boys are still upsetting people, no matter where they go.
>>
>> "Clarkson makes tasteless Oscar Pistorius joke"
>>
>> tinyurl.com/qxmmlob - metro.co.uk
>>
When you listen to the clip there was a reasonable amount of laughing and clapping, I think the paper is being disingenuous.
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>> >> - metro.co.uk
>> >>
>> I think the paper is being disingenuous.
FWIW Metro is part of the Daily Mail organisation
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Quite agree, WP. Unfortunately, papers manufacture news to help fill their space - if they couldn't have labelled the joke 'tasteless' they would have had even less of a story.
I would struggle to find anything tasteless that was said about a man who repeatedly shot his own girlfriend, having failed to notice that she was no longer next to him!
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>> "Clarkson makes tasteless Oscar Pistorius joke"
Tasteless is OK, heartless less so. Pistorius murdered a more or less blameless lover and ruined several lives as well as his own. Simply not funny, and I don't think I would have applauded.
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"more or less blameless"
Why the qualification..?!
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>> Why the qualification..?!
I agree, it looks slightly grudging.
I didn't know the lady. It's reasonable to assume there are two sides to every dispute, however asymmetric the balance may be. Resentments between couples smoulder unnoticed and unacknowledged for years. With other factors here (e.g. firearms, no legs), that could add up to something dangerous.
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>> I didn't know the lady. It's reasonable to assume there are two sides to every
>> dispute, however asymmetric the balance may be. Resentments between couples smoulder unnoticed and unacknowledged for
>> years. With other factors here (e.g. firearms, no legs), that could add up to something
>> dangerous.
>>
Even if she did her worst verbally, she still didn't deserve 4 bullets through the bog door, did she?
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>> Even if she did her worst verbally, she still didn't deserve 4 bullets through the bog door, did she?
Of course not. She was blameless and murdered by a nutter. But there was almost certainly some sort of back story leading up to that.
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>> Of course not. She was blameless and murdered by a nutter. But there was almost
>> certainly some sort of back story leading up to that.
>>
Agreed.
A bit of acerbic, female sarcasm, no doubt... which combined with a control freak male with a few issues...
... caused mayhem.
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>> female sarcasm, no doubt... which combined with a control freak male with a few issues...
>> ... caused mayhem.
Something along those lines it seems. 'A few issues' is putting it very mildly though. Sad, tragic events, both parties and all their relations much to be pitied.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sat 27 Jun 15 at 15:13
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Started watching Compo, Foggy and Clegg's bumper hour and a quarter last hurrah for the time being, but got bored and annoyed and turned them off after 45 minutes.
They were farting around in some quite nice and clean middle-aged cars pretending they couldn't be made to go properly, and all pretending as usual that they don't know how cars work. I suppose automotive ignoramuses love this stuff but I absolutely hate it. It's a car show for destructive twelve-year-olds.
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I only lasted 30 minutes, I could not even convince myself it was entertainment.
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I read a comment by Andy Willman implying that this wouldn't have been his choice to go out on.
I enjoyed it, seen worse from them, but certainly not on top form
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Do you know, it's a funny thing, but I really really hate tinned peas. So I opened some tonight anyway but only ate a few. Turns out I still hate them.
I just thought I'd make an utterly pointless post about it so you'd all know.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Sun 28 Jun 15 at 22:00
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I enjoyed it. I'm sure it wasn't how they wanted it to end, but from what was in the can it was the best they could do.
Looking forward to the Chris Evans reboot now.
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I was quite amused by it in several places and indeed laughed loudly at one or two scenes.
>> Looking forward to the Chris Evans reboot now.
I really really am not. I'll bet you 5 quid that he gets the name of his brat in the first episode more than once.
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>> I enjoyed it.
+1. Me too.
Although like some other end of show shows, they could have finished by showing a few bloopers that ended up on the cutting room floor.
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>> Do you know, it's a funny thing, but I really really hate tinned peas. So
>> I opened some tonight anyway but only ate a few. Turns out I still hate
>> them.
>>
>> I just thought I'd make an utterly pointless post about it so you'd all know.
I think you are being unjustly harsh on tinned peas. Tinned veg goes well in Shepherds pie.
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>> Do you know, it's a funny thing, but I really really hate tinned peas. So
>> I opened some tonight anyway but only ate a few. Turns out I still hate
>> them.
Have you ever given one single moments thought how they might feel about you?
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Top Gear was feeble and tired. It always has its moments, but this one was poor.
What can anyone possibly have against tinned peas? Or any peas come to that. Caribbeans - Jamaicans - have a great thing called rice and peas. The peas are little blackeye peas that don't look like our peas. But they taste good. It's a difficult dish to cook if you don't have the heritage. They put stuff in the water.
Going back to ordinary British peas: not tinned or frozen garden peas though. The tinned marrowfat soupy ones are better if you're a lifelong child as I am.
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Did anyone notice the elephant in the room?
Pat
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The Elephant was the only amusing bit.
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>> Did anyone notice the elephant in the room?
There was no room in the fridge, as the giraffe was already there ;)
Seriously though:-
www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/11701908/jeremy-clarksons-final-top-gear-review.html
Proceedings were broken up by sombrely low-key links from May and Hammond filmed in an eerily empty TV studio. Instead of Clarkson, there was literally an elephant in the room, as a life-size model pachyderm loomed large behind May and Hammond, in silent homage to their absent friend.
tinyurl.com/p59wetc - metro.co.uk
Neither James or Richard addressed the lack of Clarkson, but luckily they had a gigantic elephant in the room to do it for them.
home.bt.com/news/uk-news/jeremys-the-elephant-in-the-room-11363989375785
It was thought Top Gear borrowed the model, since nicknamed Jeremy, to appear as a visual gag about the elephant in the room - the absence of Clarkson.
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Warning: spoilers if you haven't watched and intend to do so.
I was most amused by their attempts to sail small boats/rigs/dinghies/skiffs/whatever they were (trying not to offend Navy types, I know nothing of the floating world and its terminology). So was my 10-yr old son, so that shows your the maturity and sophistication of my sense of humour.
I also enjoyed the cross country dash at the end, and thought Hammond made a splendid job of decorating the Cherokee. Amazing that you can buy such a vehicle in roadworthy, legal and working condition for 250 sheets. Enjoyed the gentle ribbing of the SUV-buying fraternity though.
Will miss Clarkson. Even the missus thinks he's funny and is sad to see the show go. She laughs like a drain at his books/articles, and that's someone who actively dislikes cars.
Last edited by: Alanović on Mon 29 Jun 15 at 10:39
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I cannot help but think that what has happened with TG is a win-win for everyone.
BBC get rid of Clarkson and all the baggage that comes with him.
Clarkson, Hammond and May get to take on new challenges, shows, opportunities with lots of free publicity in the process.
TG itself gets a chance to maybe change a few parts of the show's formula that were getting a bit tired and once it relaunches with Evans, it will get a huge amount of publicity which in this modern world counts for a hell of a lot more than it should actually do!
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You'd have thought the BBC would have updated their website by now.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1jYq5sqZwhlYDyvWXqkcg1f/the-team
Meet the Presenters of Top Gear:-
Jeremy Clarkson
Richard Hammond
James May
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>> Cherokee. Amazing that you can buy such a vehicle in roadworthy, legal and working condition for 250 sheets.
I was surprised too. But I'm sure it wouldn't be so easy for you or me. Those cats have connections and minions. A normal person would be lucky to pay twice or even three times what they did.
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>> Cherokee. Amazing that you can buy such a vehicle in roadworthy, legal and working condition for 250 sheets.
Mate of mine a couple of years ago paid £100 for one. It had an immobiliser related fault and wouldn't start, so he trailered it to Chrysler in Kidlington (at the time he had a Ford Transit recovery truck) and paid them something like £20 or £30 to disable the immobiliser.
3 or 4 years on and he's still got it and has done nothing to it other than service and replace any worn tyres.
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Just watched it, thoroughly enjoyed it.
But not a very joined-up programme.
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"It's a car show for destructive twelve-year-olds."
I've thought that for some time. Evans should be fit in perfectly.
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I'm getting very tired of the Pink Stripe of Death.
Can't the site double or treble the time before the damn thing appears? It's losing some fairly amusing stuff from me which I can't usually be bothered to rewrite.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Tue 30 Jun 15 at 01:16
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>> I'm getting very tired of the Pink Stripe of Death.
????
>> It's losing some fairly amusing stuff from me which I can't usually be bothered to rewrite.
Ah right.
In that case, copy the txt before submitting it (Ctrl+C) and if you do lose it you can recover it by pressing Ctrl+V). In other words copy/paste.
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>> In other words copy/paste.
Naturally I know that Vx. But I don't always time it right. I'm nearly always shocked by the stripe. 'What, already?' I think, before loosing a barrage of obscene expletives in the fastness of my mind.
Perhaps I'll learn eventually.
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Assuming you mean that you've written something, tried to post it but are told you've been logged out and need to log in again...
After (re-)logging in your post should still be sitting there waiting for you to (re-)hit the 'Post Message' button.
Works for me anyway - left this unfinished post for a while before coming back to post it, had to log in, and was able to carry on where I left off. No drama, and no need to copy/paste.
Last edited by: Focusless on Tue 30 Jun 15 at 08:57
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As has been mentioned, Andy Wilman alluded to it not being the best send-off, but decent enough fare for a mid-season episode. Most surprising bit was how well the banger 4x4s performed.
Now looking forward to "new" presenter being different in every way when the programme returns. He will of course start off with a Marina filled up with dummys of the departed three being dropped on a Grand Piano followed by a massive explosion. He will then drive through the smoke cloud in his most expensive, recent, purchase (he'll charge for props) and emerge with the new supporting cast, Angela Rippon and William Woollard. Unfortunately Angela can only be used for cars CE likes, as her botoxed smile is now permanent and dear William, through arthritis and old age, is fused into his Woollarding/Rodins Thinker pose and has to be fork-lifted from bumper to bumper.
Each segment will be separated with a comedy claxon and the bit where he sits at a desk with a sweary mate pointing at funny pictures of foreign cars, punctuated by the laugh of Danny Baker, just out of shot, will be in no way similar to old TGs News section.
At the end of each programme Oison Tymon will be punched by the guest of the week, just to let you know the programme is at an end and in no way has to nod towards old TG to maintain audience.
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>> Andy Wilman alluded to it not being the best send-off,
It wasn't intended to be a send off though. It was just 2 items that had been filmed for future episodes. They could hardly call Clarkson back to film a send off episode.
TG fans had been crying out that they had been deprived of seeing them, and as they'd already been filmed, the BBC called back Hammond & May to fill in the gaps.
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If you want to be pedantic about it, Andy Wilman previously stated three part episodes had been filmed, BBC thought it would make two, the team didn't believe there was enough material to stretch that far and the unexpected, final, "special" was the cobbled together result. They did call back Clarkson to provide the linking voiceover which he did, out of contract and FOC.
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Well, I have an on again off again relationship with Prime, but I dare say I'll end up being Primed at the time of the broadcast in some man maths manner.
Good it went there rather than ITV though, as Amazon needn't worry about advertisers of course, but I hope they realise what they're taking on. Bit of a loose cannon for Amazon - Clarkson was in minor bothers again last week about his "homophobic" tweet whilst in Australia, for example.
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Well I haven't got a Prime account, and I think the last thing I bought from Amazon was well over a year ago.
I'll just wait for it to appear on Youtube, or a torrent download.
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>> Well I haven't got a Prime account, and I think the last thing I bought
>> from Amazon was well over a year ago.
>>
>> I'll just wait for it to appear on Youtube, or a torrent download.
>>
Probably easier to just nick the DVD from Tesco.
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Suspect it will end up on free TV of some sort in the future, just like Ripper Street. Repeats continue on Dave, perhaps.
Staying with TopGear I gather Jenson Button is talking about a presenters job for 2016. Got to be better than driving his McLaren!
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>> Suspect it will end up on free TV of some sort in the future,
Well it will certainly end up on my TV for free pretty quickly.
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>> Probably easier to just nick the DVD from Tesco.
DVD?
How 20th century ;) I cannot remember the last time I played a DVD.
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Much as I find TG amusing, there's no way I'll be paying Amazon to watch it.
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You won't have to. Top Gear will still be on the BBC
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Oh, alright then. Amazon Motors or whatever they call it!
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Top Gear Discussion Volume 20. - mikeyb
