Top Gear wants you!
December 16, 2007 by George Skentzos
Many cringed at the thought of an Australian interpretation of Top Gear, purely due to the fact that the original works so well for three reasons and three reason only – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
However the show is off to a promising start with SBS Australia appealing to the general public in the search for their next lovable trio to host the Australian incarnation of Top Gear.
For your chance to become the next Clarkson, May or Hammond, SBS simply requests a short video of you strutting your stuff in front of the camera, so long as you meet the following (highly encouraging) criteria.
- 18 years or older on 1 January, 2008 – though if you’re a Lewis Hamilton whose skills could impress our insurance company, then we might consider you.
- The holder of a current, unblemished drivers licence.
- Available for filming in Australia at dates to be confirmed in 2008.
- Not affiliated (beHolden … hmm) to any car company or motoring company through sponsorship, commercial arrangements or employment.
- Demonstrably knowledgeable, opinionated and passionate about cars – and able to deliver that knowledge and passion (along with humour, of course) on screen.
- NOT a clone of the magnificent and simply unique Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond or James May. We’re looking for Australia’s own Top Gear faces. Of course you could be a clone of The Stig.
- You may be an amateur motor enthusiast and expert who’s not a television presenter. You may be a motoring journalist with little or no television experience. You may have some television experience BUT we’re NOT looking for classic television presenters without knowledge, experience or expertise.
For more details check out the SBS Top Gear website.
Print it: 
Hahahaha, looks like there’s going to be blood.
Top Gear Idle (Idol)
Oh, that means Jennifer Hawkins won’t be considered.
Sob, cry.
If anyone doesn’t like the idea of a V8 Supercar driver on Top Gear Australia, that driver can just be the Aussie Stig.
(Ta BM, had a little chuckle myself.)
The cars won’t be very different but in this landscape think of the insane adventures the trio could embark on.
“Made in the shed” amphibious craft from WA to NZ.
Take the Gogomobile via a space elevator from Woomera to the Moon.
Silly I know, but if any of u have seen the current series which has just finished in the UK u will know what i mean.(bittorrent – i luv u!)
Get the right people (regardless of gender)and the aussie version could be brilliant entertainment.
I hope SBS does go through with the Aussie version of top gear with the UK fellas hear for the first ep to get it off to a flyin start. Would finally see alot more Aussie made cars on top gear then to
This whole show is just a reason for bbc to make money from franchise.
Its doomed in oz and I have no interest watching it. Australians just arent funny.
So who did real well on the c/a voting poll? :-)
Cheers
F-0
Oh dear!! I give it one season if it makes it that far.
What is the point – can we just watch Top Gear – the UK version. The local show – if it ever gets off the ground, will just be compared to the UK show and will die a painful death.
Lcat it seems the major problem will be finding some one with the requirements SBS seek,does this mean we won’t get UK TOP GEAR as well?MMMM,not sure if I would be willing to ditch the original for a local show!
Australia has become to much a country of wowsers to make this version work.Imho
BM, I think it will be quid pro quo.
The syndicators will wish to take full $ advantage of an Oz production and screen it across the planet as per Top Gear U.K.
oh let me guess….. dicko ,holden, marcia hinds and bloody kyle
How about someone satirical, witty & mature like John Clarke leading the show. Could be very funny but I’m not sure if he is into cars & might be too old for some.
Oh dear – we’re going from bad to worse with this Aussie Top Gear fiasco. The BBC should quit this notion while they are ahead!
No not Kylie please………
bubba,
read the criteria,
Holden wouldnt be allowed due to his affiliation with ……well…….holden (himself)
and the other 3 have contracts that are linked with (Mark) Holden aswell so tuff titties to all of them
same goes for Heather Ford too i guess……even though she knows the camera like the back of her hand.
and then TP cant either due to the large advertising exec salary he was getting from toyota.
Hmm…Heather Foord from National Nine News??
Any sign of “Jbot”? …Because he has just turned into another Toyota Paul.
Compliance with selection criteria is pretty hard to satisfy.
How many hopefuls as well as all those even remotely interested in cars can say they have a 100% unblemished licence?
How do you define unblemished,not one loss of a demerit point ever?
No affiliations,I take to mean no chance of bias,ie how many respondents to threads on Caradvice can claim no bias.
Good luck on the quest for Mr or Ms Perfect.
I think it would end up having people who are alreadey famos
____________
JBOT IS THE NEW TOYOTA PAUL!!!
It’s obvious for an Oz version, get the CHASER team or better still get Kath n Kim, either crew will do Australia proud, and the overseas Viewers will Buckle under the Ozzie Character..Tom K..
kath and kim is bad for ur health….it is cancer for ur TV
Folks as much as I would love an Aussie version to do so well here, can anyone tell me of a car that we have access to that you won’t see on the UK version.
I know that we make so many versions of the SS’s or XR8’s, but seriously after the showing them over the first 3 episodes what’s next? All the cars we have, they generally have anyway plus more. Do you think Ferrari or Aston Martin will hand over any of the current versions or do you think they might even ship out some prototype because they may make a sale after it’s been on the show…….NO.
Like I said from the get go, why ruin a program that’s been running for over so many years.
i would nominate toyota paul. would be interesting to hear his views on television.
dicko ,holden, marcia hinds and bloody kyle
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great way to tarnish a great program. avoid all of the people involved with idol, big brother and whoring with the stars in any form.
“if it ever gets off the ground, will just be compared to the UK show and will die a painful death.”
Tony, I think you could be right there. So bugger it wheres my video camera!!
IMO its got to be worth a go, there must be better local car show out there than watching Toby (plank of wood) hagen on Drive.com.
Hey lazybones……..its been a while since you have been here!
I agree it will be compared to the UK version…….but we do need something better than what we currently have!!
“its been a while since you have been here!”
Yes, now my latest family additional has decided he will actually sleep at night. I can return to using a computer in a more awake state.
I think the biggest problem with the Aussie Top Gear, is the UK edition would be a watchable show even if it wasn’t about cars. Those boys are just very watchable, to achieve that same level of presentation in a aussie version with-out trying to be a carbon copy is going to take some serious idea’s, new presenters and a break from the norm. Otherwise Tony will be very much correct in his assumption.
Coming up next week……We’re featuring a Holden SS….yup the green one!
The week after….the silver one
you get the drift(pun intended)
I doubt this idea will work.
Hopefully the Aussie Top Gear won’t go on and on about Ford and Holden
As Jeremy Clarkson said, Ford is American.
I must say i totally love Top Gear, the Trio that host it, there witty character, love hate relationship, and of course the cars!!!!
I hope that the SBS taem are smart and select a fresh, never before seen, talent to be trio, and not another toss like Rove.
I could come up with some suggestions, Like say, Myself!!!
wow peoplesthere is alot of negativity out there,i think it will be awesome,what have the pomies done that we cant do better,i think its just something else that we can blow them away with. and as for tony you cant possibly be an aussie being so negative,what ever happened to giving it a go,if it dont work,who cares….now thats the aussie way i think anyway.
I just love Top Gear! Doing an Oz version is ballsy but could work if the producers look for something different ie: new talent and a youth representative! Let’s at least give it a go and show the world that we have talent!!
Not too sure on this…would the show have the same budget as UK?..i would say that’s a NO
Also, like someone else said..please choose new talent…we don’t wanna see jamie dury or andrew g or whoever.
Top Gear oz…Can anyone say The Office USA?!!! I’m sorry but I don’t think it’s gonna work. It works with a british accent but an aussie one?! “And ere we got the nu Ford XR8, tough as bazza’s gas and twice as potent!” honestly the best part about TG is the way they pay out the shite cars and do it sounding like royalty. Thats my two cents.
G’day. Have a look at other franchised TV shows around the world. 60 Minutes, started in the USA, and is in several countries, and often stories are shared across the different broadcasts. Changing Rooms, was a UK version, and had a very good run here in Australia, then every Drury and his dog got in on the act of DIY shows. Now, Australia has the first overseas rights, which would indicate that there may be more franchises to come elsewhere. Why don’t TOP Gear, just branch out, still keeping the 3 main Absolutely Fabulous presenters, but adding content from local presenters from the various franchises. IE, Australia, USA, South Africa, and even perhaps Brazil. Lets face it we all love TOP Gear UK, and fear the loss of such a great show. However, look at the legacy of 60 Minutes, the presenters will get old, and retire at some point, and you will have to introduce new blood to the show at some point. It is a shame the show is not animated, and you can stay 8 years old for 15 years like Bart in the Simpsons. Lets face it, we all want to see some Australian content, and some wacky stunts with an Australian background, and perhaps a race with a roo! And if we had our way, we would just move Clarkson, Hammond, and May to Australia and have them do what they do best here! -Doubt that would happen.
Billy Holden
Sorry Billy Holden, what you were saying about the cartoon called “The Simpsons” is kind of wrong. Bart Simpson had been 10 years old for more than 15 years it was Lisa who has been 8 for more than 15 years, :) LOL!
I actually could see a lot of great stunts, and lots of TOP Gear action on some of the not so TOP cars of the world. There is a pleather of Classics, from all the world auto Manufactures, and lots of Australian icons. Not to take either side of Ford, or Holden, I drive a Volkswagen, however the Monaro being an Australian built car, and re-badged as the GTO in America is an excellent achievement. Now the Monaro is discontinued, it will be a very highly sought after classic. TOP Gear Australia could also do lots on how you can restore your classic, at the same time taking the piss out of the vehicle. Granted, it would all be in the hands of the writers, producers, crew, and presenters to make TOP Gear Australia reconised by the rest of the world.
Thank you Oz, I stand corrected, however the beauty of never aging, being a Toon still stands. Top Gear will enjoy the rollercoaster of fame, however they will have to introduce new blood to the show, or the show will end at some point. Especially, if Clarkson, by public request, runs for PM in the UK. You can’t be a TOP Gear presenter, and the PM at the same time.
You know, my mates and I were joking around the other night, and here is what we came up with. Just suppose, that TOP Gear Australia, ia a big hoax, to drum up more news coverage and spur on a frienzy of viewers! Get a bunch of potiential would be presenters to send in videos of them self being silly Billy’s, and presto Australia’s funniest videos! Talk about free content. Shame the first airing day of Top Gear Australia wasn’t the 1st of April! Of Course SBS would never play an Aprils Fools joke on the Australian viewers, or would they? – Billy Holden
david morley would be a great addition to top gear if you can drag him away from the car show
like Clarkson (breaks stuff) and Hamster (funny)