Clarkson gives TGA stamp of approval
October 20, 2008 by George Skentzos
Despite poor feedback by many Australians, Jeremy Clarkson has contacted Top Gear Australia’s Freehand production team after watching the show to give his personal approval.
With just the fourth episode set to air tonight, the Australian public have already been quick to criticise the local trio, however Clarkson has only good things to say about our uniquely Australian take on the motoring entertainment phenomenon that is Top Gear.
After watching the first episode, Clarkson commented on the great chemistry between our local hosts as well as the set design and camera work.
“Massive congratulations from the Top Gear boys in England on your Australian version. We’re loving it, even though your funny accents make you hard to understand,” said Clarkson.
He was particularly fond of cartoonist Warren Brown and his underwater antics.
“And Warren the cartoonist, his face underwater was an absolute peach,” said Clarkson.
With the show green lit for a second season, SBS Director of Television and Online, Matt Campbell has said Clarkson’s support reinforces the network’s confidence in Top Gear Australia being a continuing, long term success for SBS.
“We’ve received the blessing from the Godfather of the Brand! The praise from the Top Gear UK Mother Ship gives SBS and the Freehand production team added enthusiasm as we continue to work on Series One and begin pre-production for Series Two – which will go to air on SBS as early as possible in 2009.”
Our next dose of Top Gear Australia comes in just a few short hours when the team test the fastest Australian car ever built, pit a satellite navigator against a local Aboriginal tracker and play lawn bowls with Holden Astras.
As usual, CarAdvice can also bring you a sneak peek at what’s to come in episode five, and it’s a pearler!
Charlie will go back to where it all began – kind of, when he drives the star of Top Gear Magazine’s big-pinky campaign – the Audi R8, on the Hamilton Island runway.
“It looks like a nuclear powered supercar but it’s really practical,” said Charlie. “Practical supercar – it’s like a non-threatening scud missile, safe explosives, user friendly hand grenade.”
Steve thrashes about the Top Gear test track in BMW’s baby M3 – the new twin-turbocharged 135 Coupé.
In a film just as strange as the Smart Hearse, Warren and Steve investigate the phenomenon of the ‘Toorak Tractor’ by driving a real tractor into the heart of Melbourne.
But the best is yet to come, with the boys off to the Whitsundays for Hamilton Island’s prestigious Audi Race Week sailing event, embarking on an iconic Top Gear challenge – the amphibious car.
Having read the brochure wrong, the team has transformed an Audi of the four-wheeled variety into a road and seafaring machine.
Dubbed the Audi H20, Skipper Steve, Admiral Charlie and the ever confident Warren Brown compete in the race week’s “Best Fun Themed Yacht” award in their entirely un-seaworthy craft.
Back in the studio, Shannon Noll is the “Celebrity in a Bog Standard Car”.
Print it: 
Yes, the show is flowing better with each ep. The news segment is relavant to us aussies and the production qualities are up there with TGUK.
I agree there should be a track graphic or something and more critical reviews of the cars (good and/or bad) but otherwise i really like the show, must be the car enthusiast coming out in me.
Nah Revolvor – You don’t get it, TGA has learnt from TGUK so its bound to be better first off. Durr.
Come on Golfie – even I know their names now they are Clarkson Clone, Hamster Clone and MAy Clone. Easy!!
Hmm, I have to say. As much as I hated episode 1 and 2. Episode 3 finally got my attention for the whole hour. Where the other two really had me yawning and wondering when it’ll all be over.
Hopefully it gets better still.
SteveC
No sir, I don’t like it…..
Hyped up the Ford v Holden on the adds…”the show you’ve all been waiting for”
And there I was, thinking I’d actually get some information….
got sweet FA. (apart from the fact that psuedo Hamster dosn’t know sh1t about how to launch a Turbo’d six.)
All in all, a gutless effort I think. it’s now “the show were all still waiting for”
next time pseudo James May picks up a texta and paper for the show, they should break his fingers.
pseudo-Clarkson remainds me too much of Darryl Eastlake; both annoying in the extreme.
Aus-stig has the most screen presence and personallity out of the lot of ‘em.
All this would be OK if it were funny.
But it aint.
P.S Sadly, it’s still better television than 95% of the junk on free to air.