Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond
If you’re a devoted petrolhead, if you know Top Gear isn’t a clothing store and if Jeremy, Richard and James don’t need surnames when you mention them, then you’ll need to get yourself to Johannesburg or Cape Town next month.
Because the BBC motoring programme Top Gear (seen in SA on DStv), which has gained almost cult status across the world, is coming to SA again as part of BP Ultimate’s four-continent Top Gear Live show.
Host Jeremy Clarkson and sidekicks Richard Hammond and James May will be joined by 5FM DJ and motorsport enthusiast Sasha Martinengo at the performances of pedigreed vehicles, raw power and daredevil driving. Cape Town is on the tour itinerary for the first time.
Moving the high-octane show’s 94 vehicles and 150 sets of tyres requires 135 trucks, three ships and a freight aircraft.
Jeremy and his team love South Africa and have defended the country against scare stories about the risk of visiting here. “If you’re considering going to the World Cup tournament next year don’t hesitate,” he said recently. “The exchange rate is good, the food is outstanding, the weather is delightful and the Kruger National Park is still full of animals.”
Top Gear is one of the UK’s most popular TV programmes and the format has been sold to broadcasters elsewhere - American, Australian and Russian versions are in production.
Jeremy is regarded as one of Britain’s most influential media faces although he dismisses the notion. “What I say makes no difference. Top Gear is candyfloss. It’s entertainment. When I said the Ford Orion was the worst car ever made, it became the top seller.”
Read all about Jeremy and his Top Gear sidekicks in the 7 January issue of YOU.