Matt LeBlanc and 4 others join Top Gear

[Johnuk123]

That would be about four years after the departed three started presenting, something like Series 7 or 8. Are you quite sure you mean ten years?

The Guardian reckon it is:

Chris Evans’ third episode fronting Top Gear drew the best critical response yet but it was not reflected in the show’s overnight ratings, which fell to 2.4 million – the lowest figure for the BBC2 show for more than a decade.

I assume it's right but can't be certain.

 

[Darandio]

The Guardian reckon it is:

Which could mean 12 years, 14 years......

 

[Johnuk123]

Which could mean 12 years, 14 years......

Yes true, I should have originally put over 10 years.

 

[cjmillsnun]

If they dumped Evans and EJ and had Matt, Chris Harris and Sabine it would actually be quite good.

 

[Johnuk123]

One thing is certain the BBC have possibly made what will ultimately turn out to be the most expensive mistake in tv history by getting rid of Clarkson.

 

[northwichcat]

One thing is certain the BBC have possibly made what will ultimately turn out to be the most expensive mistake in tv history by getting rid of Clarkson.

Although, if they'd let Clarkson stay after assaulting a producer when he was on a final warning the BBC wouldn't have been able to sack anyone ever, as they'd claim unfair dismissal because Clarkson wouldn't have been sacked for the same offence.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Although, if they'd let Clarkson stay after assaulting a producer when he was on a final warning the BBC wouldn't have been able to sack anyone ever, as they'd claim unfair dismissal because Clarkson wouldn't have been sacked for the same offence.

Clarkson was never sacked, of course...

 

[Minilad]

One thing is certain the BBC have possibly made what will ultimately turn out to be the most expensive mistake in tv history by getting rid of Clarkson.

Clarkson got rid of Clarkson

 

[Johnuk123]

Clarkson got rid of Clarkson

Clarkson was a hot head who punched a producer.

Jimmy Savile assaulted 72 women and children on BBC premises and the corporation turned a blind eye and has admitted it did so, double standards to say the least.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Clarkson was a hot head who punched a producer.

Jimmy Savile assaulted 72 women and children on BBC premises and the corporation turned a blind eye and has admitted it did so, double standards to say the least.

Nothing can excuse what Jimmy Saville and the BBC did, however that does not mean it can't learn from its mistakes and take action when required going forward as it did with Clarkson.

 

[Dave1987]

Although, if they'd let Clarkson stay after assaulting a producer when he was on a final warning the BBC wouldn't have been able to sack anyone ever, as they'd claim unfair dismissal because Clarkson wouldn't have been sacked for the same offence.

Clarkson was/is an ar$e and he knows he is. But he is extremely clever and knows what sells and what the public like to watch. He is not afraid to be controversial. There are a lot of comedians have quit stand up comedy because you cannot be in any way controversial without causing offence. Clarkson's actions were inexcusable, but the Beeb could have sorted it out in house. They didn't and as such they have lost their monster brand.

 

[Domh245]

I think there was an expectation that viewing numbers would be lower this week, the footie was on, as was the Canadian GP. But coming back to this weeks show, it was vastly improved. The only real gripe with it was the interview part again, but on the whole, a lot better. I also noticed that Evans had his studio duties trimmed back a bit, with Matt doing most of the links - at least the BBC are reacting to feedback!

 

[EM2]

Clarkson's actions were inexcusable, but the Beeb could have sorted it out in house. They didn't and as such they have lost their monster brand.

But they did sort it out in house. It was investigated by BBC staff. And at the end of it all, they decided not to renew his contract. Sorted.

 

[Dave1987]

But they did sort it out in house. It was investigated by BBC staff. And at the end of it all, they decided not to renew his contract. Sorted.

Really? Plastered all over the news that Clarkson was suspended for a "fracas" with a producer. They could have done it all quietly. And from what I have read the Beeb begged Hammond and May to stay on offering pretty mega contracts to continue with a new presenter parachuted in to replace Clarkson. But both Hammond and May knew that just wouldn't have worked. Now Beeb bosses have signed up new presenters on hefty contracts with enormous filming budgets in the vain hope it will be as popular as it was.

 

[EM2]

Really? Plastered all over the news that Clarkson was suspended for a "fracas" with a producer. They could have done it all quietly.

Of course they could. :roll:
It's not like it was the biggest news story in the country for about a week, or anything.

 

[tony_mac]

wasn't there already a billion page thread about Clarkson?

 

[Dave1987]

Of course they could. :roll:
It's not like it was the biggest news story in the country for about a week, or anything.

It was the headline of the Beeb News website hours after Clarkson had reported himself and was suspended. Many media commentators said they could have handled it in house but certain senior people in the Beeb wanted him gone so they saw it as the perfect excuse.

As far as this new series is concerned the damage has already been done. It will need to get consistent good reviews to claw back the viewers. It will need to build up it reputation again just like it did in 2002.

 

[krus_aragon]

It's natural for people to dislike change.
I find Mr Evans slightly annoying but can tolerate him. The content is decent when the presenters are ignored
Matt Le blanc is growing on me, and ive seen several journalist reviews suggest he is stealing the show and they all write highly of him.

The above reflects my thoughts, to a certain extent. I can also say that I found Mr Clarkson annoying, but tolerated him likewise. The programme is slowly settling in. Chris Evans has calmed down a bit, and we're slowly getting to see the other presenters. Eddie Jordan was surprisingly quiet during his driving segments, but his new role's quite different to his previous pundit work. I'm sure he'll get there. I never saw any of the pre-James May episodes of Top Gear, but I suspect that there were similar issues of flow and balance back then.

My wife and I have enjoyed the first two episodes enough to keep watching. We don't receive any subscription television, so we'll be giving Clarkson & Co.'s new programme a miss, but I hope to continue seeing (some of) them on other programmes.
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They should axe Extra Gear, which a lot of people won't be watching as it is online only, and bring Rory and the other Chris onto the main show, which could be extended, to include news and more.

Having only seen the first of the Extra Gears, I'd tend to agree. I didn't see the reasoning behind what went in the main show, and what went in the extra. I hope it's being used for extra space for experimentation, to see what works, and can work out what they want in just the one show from, say, next series onwards.
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Last nights viewing figures fall again to the lowest for the show for 10 years.

Bear in mind, 10 years ago catch-up TV wasn't as prominent as it is now. Back then, most people would have to watch it live or make a point of recording it, whereas now people can come back to it when it suits them. I haven't watched any of the episodes live, so haven't been included in the "on-the-night" figures. I expect I'll be sitting down to the third episode tonight, but it might be tomorrow.

 

[jon0844]

Having only seen the first of the Extra Gears, I'd tend to agree. I didn't see the reasoning behind what went in the main show, and what went in the extra. I hope it's being used for extra space for experimentation, to see what works, and can work out what they want in just the one show from, say, next series onwards.

It's most likely how they plan to package things up for the foreign broadcasts, and future shows on Dave.

This could be removing the news, or perhaps breaking the shows up more (do we know if they recorded more links on the studio days) and inserting some of the Extra content into these customised episodes.

Dave shows Top Gear without the news, as it's obviously out of date, and I'm sure BBC Worldwide has good reasons.

 

[EM2]

It was the headline of the Beeb News website hours after Clarkson had reported himself and was suspended. Many media commentators said they could have handled it in house...

The only way it could have been 'handled in-house' was to let everything run as normal, and then announce at the end of the series that Clarkson's contract wasn't going to be renewed.
That firstly sends out all the wrong signals about what is acceptable behaviour, and secondly runs the risk (especially these days) of the story leaking out anyway.

 

[507021]

Last night's episode was good I thought, although I'd like to see Chris Harris brought onto the main show permanently so there's a trio of presenters like the last version of the show. The challenge in the first episode wasn't the same with just two presenters, I think it's better to have three presenters because it makes the challenges and car reviews more interesting.

 

[richw]

Last nights viewing figures fall again to the lowest for the show for 10 years.
Doesn't matter what people who saw it thought a lot of the initial viewers are lost and won't return.

Many people don't watch as broadcast these days, so overnight figures should be taken with a pinch of salt.
I like many others watched the Euro 2016 game then watched Top Gear on iplayer. I therefore don't count in overnight viewing figures, as on demand viewers don't count in overnight figures.

 

[Dave1987]

The only way it could have been 'handled in-house' was to let everything run as normal, and then announce at the end of the series that Clarkson's contract wasn't going to be renewed.
That firstly sends out all the wrong signals about what is acceptable behaviour, and secondly runs the risk (especially these days) of the story leaking out anyway.

Not from what I've read. There were certain members of senior Beeb management that had been trying to get rid of Clarkson for years. But when he is part of a trio that has turned your pokey motoring show into a monster brand then it's hard to convince the people who matter that he should be got rid of. The politically correct brigade made hundreds of complaints against Top Gear over the years with several going to Ofcom. So when Clarkson commited the cardinal sin of physical violence against one of his production team that gave all those trying to get rid of him the perfect excuse and probably plastered it all over the news as quickly as they could.

But then they were faced with the fact that their monster brand had lost the key elements that made it what it was. They made some serious safe choices with regards to new presenters.

Has Evans continued his cringe worthy attempts to impersonate Clarkson in the intros?
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Many people don't watch as broadcast these days, so overnight figures should be taken with a pinch of salt.
I like many others watched the Euro 2016 game then watched Top Gear on iplayer. I therefore don't count in overnight viewing figures, as on demand viewers don't count in overnight figures.

Hmmm so 4.5 million people tuned in to the live broadcast on the first episode, which has dropped to 2.3 million for episode three. Thats very nearly a 50% drop in viewing figures no matter how you spin it!

When the loop hole for being able to watch the iPlayer without a TV license is closed I wonder what the viewing figures will be then. And people who watch on the iPlayer tend to be casual viewers just watching something on the way to work. The value of the show is in the dedicated viewers who will buy the merchandise and will pay to go and see the live shows.

 

[richw]

Hmmm so 4.5 million people tuned in to the live broadcast on the first episode, which has dropped to 2.3 million for episode three. Thats very nearly a 50% drop in viewing figures no matter how you spin it!
.

Week one there was nothing else on the TV at the same time in my opinion that was a 'male' interest show. Week 2 competed with the popular Soccer aid, and Week 3 with Euro 2016.

 

[miami]

So where on the consolidated figures with live, timeshift, and on-demand viewings upto 1 week after broadcast? The first episode had higher figures than the first episode of the previous season (which I think was fresh from the whole Patagonia-gate issue)

Remember that overnight figures are "calculated using 5,100 households with special set-top boxes, which track what each member of the family is watching when. From those numbers, estimates for the whole viewing population can be made."

They're ridiculous. They work well for certain types of programming (reality tv, soaps, live events), and fail for other types. However the fact the BBC isn't blowing the consolidated figures out in PRs implies they aren't as good as they should be.

 

[Dave1987]

Week one there was nothing else on the TV at the same time in my opinion that was a 'male' interest show. Week 2 competed with the popular Soccer aid, and Week 3 with Euro 2016.

Yes but you tend to find people will always watch shows they really want to watch on the live broadcast if they can. I will always watch HIGNFY live if I can or will wait until the extended version is broadcast on Monday.

 

[miami]

Yes but you tend to find people will always watch shows they really want to watch on the live broadcast if they can. I will always watch HIGNFY live if I can or will wait until the extended version is broadcast on Monday.

I'm sure some people do. I certainly don't. I watch TV on my schedule, not the TV company's, have done for 20 years. More and more people are thinking like me.

 

[ainsworth74]

Discounting the interview portion which I skipped (all twenty bleeding minutes of it) it was improved. Mostly because Evans was less in evidence and the two new presenters were really good. The Ferrari and Hot Hatch segments were both excellent and the bit at the end with Matt Leblanc and that absurd modified Mustang was silly in the extreme but very entertaining. The Audi bit was alright but mostly because Sabine carried it.

I still stand by my earlier judgement. Ditch Evans, shorten the interview segment (or just ditch it) and I think the BBC have a decent show here particularly if other Chris was given more of a role.

 

[Yew]

I certainly agree the interview segmeents are far too long, i dont care about your new film, or your punching ability. Add in the news from extra gear instead (with chris or matt to make up the third body)

The mustang section at the end was strange, it either needed some commentry, or to become a duel between chris and matt in similar cars. As it was it was dull and pointless, especially after the novelty wore off.

Ferrari and Hot hatch segments were good. The Hot Hatch segment could have gone nicely with Chris and Matt 'butting in' and introducing the others, though.

 

[Johnuk123]

I still stand by my earlier judgement. Ditch Evans, shorten the interview segment (or just ditch it) and I think the BBC have a decent show here particularly if other Chris was given more of a role.

As you are probably aware the BBC are always right. The chance of them ditching Evans is less than nil as that would mean they have to admit being wrong which they are hardwired to never ever do.