Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Top Gear

I see Clarkson & Co have hit the headlines again - twice this week. In the Top Gear magazine Clarkson likened Kent inhabitants as "the sort of people who arrived in England in the back of a refrigerated truck or clinging to the underside of a Eurostar train" and the Isle of Sheppey (admittedly not the prettiest place in the county) as "Mostly a caravan site. There are thousands of thousands of mobile homes, all of which I suspect belong to former London cabbies, the only people on Earth with the knowledge to get there before it's time to turn round and come home again. Now they've managed to upset India with the Top Gear special with their "toilet humour". This on top of the Mexican debacle and Clarkson's comments on The One Show. I know it's just Clarkson being Clarkson but Isn't it about time the BBC called time-out and put him and his cohorts back in the box before they do some real damage and mark it "Do not open again - EVER"?

I used to find him and the Top Gear programme fun to watch; but now?

No, sorry, but IMHO the man is a bore and it is a series that should have been wound up around 2 years ago. ZZzzzzzz. . .

I'm not the sort of person who delights in taking umbrage at things that have been broadcast, and in general have enjoyed Top Gear over the years. The desert special and the north pole one were both excellent; since the florida to new orleans one the emphasis seems to have been more on offending the locals wherever the special is set. I was particularly disappointed by the India special as I feel they missed a great opportunity to do a really interesting program in a truly fascinating country. The stunts they organised were pretty pathetic and unnecessary - the best bits of the show were the hillclimb and the night drive. The cars were destroyed not by extreme driving conditions but by the deliberate vandalism of their modifications. I don't know if the program was more insulting to India, or to the viewer's intelligence.

Just wonder if they are trying to attract a younger audience an d leave us lot out .

Great series now gone to waste !

Maybe Charles should take over

I agree totally.

When they bought interest and value it was worth putting up with the slightly edgy comments. Now it is just cheap, low brow stereotypical stunts and jibes.

I totally agree re the India program. What a polar opposite to the Vietnam episode. You felt some love towards the region and put up the cheap comments on Vietnam. Did they change production teams recently ?

I grew travelling around India with my parents and whilst it is easy to poke fun it totally lost all the beauty of the country and people.

Muppets.

Well said, watching adults (doubtful) shredding the tyres of class vehicles week in week out lost it's fascination for me about 3 years ago.

Casting an eye over the recent Christmas marketplace the cynical could think that the non commercial Auntie Beeb is being used as a vehicle to market these overgrown boys other products

The more controversy they generate the better the sales harking back to the old addage that there is no such thing as bad publicity, to me they pesonify this saying.

It would take a major overhaul for me to want to watch it again.

Enjoy your miles and Regards from (old -art in) deepest South Devon

I was very unimpressed by thr Indian special.
I agree it needs a total review.

Yep. Thought the India special was a waste of time and opportunity.
I'm interested to note that the actor (I'd never heard of) on The One Show the other night suggested that the paperazzi should be shot but so far no one is up in arms.

What damage can they do - "sticks and stones may break my bones but words ......"

Leave him on TV. OK the show is getting a bit boring but he's near the only one on TV who isnt PC vetted and controlled. Thats why people watch him - he says what we think but darent say any longer.