Art -- 7 months ago
The news we’ve all been waiting for
Words: Patrick
It’s the story we’ve all been following, awaiting confirmation. And now we have it: TV’s favourite triad, headed by the outlandish and candid Jeremy Clarkson, is back together, with reports suggesting that their new car show is very close to a deal with Netflix.
It was always only a matter of time before an announcement would be made, catapulting the metaphor magnate onto our screens once again. The doubt, however, was who would be by his side. And the news that May and Hamster are on board elicits the fact that we can expect magnificent motor madness in the near future – both having reportedly turned their backs on £4million from the BBC to join Chris Evans on the remodelled show following Clarkson’s exile.
With these personalities in front of the screen we can be sure of the usual fun, frivolity, insanity and darn right stupidity we have come to love. But to keep an eye on proceedings is Andy Wilman, who has also jumped ship with the triumvirate, meaning movements behind the lens will be well accounted for, too.
And while we would never condone Clarkson’s actions – assault is assault whether a man’s supper is cold or not – one can’t help but wonder how much this fracas and consequent brouhaha will have done to promote the ex-Top Gear team’s status – not that they needed it. Given that the show was the most watched factual TV programme in the world, attracting a weekly audience of some 350million, it is fair to assume that initial viewing figures are going to climb further still, be it due to anticipation or sheer intrigue. If people were unfamiliar with the loudmouth prior to the incident, and unless they have been living under a rock since, they will surely feel well acquainted now.
A petition calling for his reinstatement maundered past 1million signatures in days and his personal Twitter account jumped from 4.2million to 5.2million in a few short weeks, with people awaiting his first rebuff to the media whirlwind. He went from being a global star to a global news sensation overnight. The reverse will inevitably follow.
For petrolheads, a new season of Top Gear was enough to make grown men giddy with glee, but the hype that will accompany the opening of the new series (expected to air in April next year) is going to be something else. Netflix is the powerhouse of online media streaming, with two of its shows – Orange is the New Black and House of Cards – already garnering awards and captivating huge audiences.
There’s no reason to assume this venture will be anything but a roaring success.
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