View Full Version : Fifth Gear: new series
The motoring magazine show returns for a tenth series with a brand new format and location; and a new presenter in Tim Lovejoy. Each week, Tim and Vicki Butler-Henderson host the show from London's Ace Cafe with the best of motors and entertainment. This week, Tiff Needell races a brand new Mitsubishi Evo 8 FQ360 against a stunt plane, and Vicki road-tests the Mini GP, the most desirable car in the world, and then takes on a mini grand prix against a remote-control car.
Tim who?
Some bloke Sky have been grooming for years.
Tim who?
Soccer AM presenter
Tim who?
He's the Soccer AM presenter on Sky Sports.
Ah, would explain why I've never heard of him.
Not that it seems to be a prerequisite these days, but does he have any kind of "car" background at all? Found 5th Gear's press release which doesn't look promising:
Series Producer for North One Television Midlands, James Woodroffe said: “Tim joining the team is exciting news for Fifth Gear and adds an extra dimension to the show.
“He’s a cool guy and well connected in the worlds of music, sport and comedy, which will help us expand Fifth Gear’s appeal to an even wider audience”.
:|
Ah, would explain why I've never heard of him.
Not that it seems to be a prerequisite these days, but does he have any kind of "car" background at all? Found 5th Gear's press release which doesn't look promising:
:|
probably does quite a nice line in antiques though... :D
From the looks of things they've kicked the boys out of the studio and brought him in as the new face of the show. Looks like Plato may have gone, I did see he's on a new Sky1 show. Better not have dumped the big hairy bloke though, he's the closest test driver I've seen to my... physique. :D
probably does quite a nice line in antiques though... :D
you're about 10 years late on that joke ;) Still I suppose new show old jokes for the Lovejoy
oh dear..... how bad is lovejoy in this.
So with Tim Lovejoy joining to expand the shows appeal and the dreadful revamp of the gadget show are five planning to merge the shows together or something, this episode is so boring so far.
Oh dear... Tim Lovejoy is pants.
ShakeyJake
25-09-2006, 19:50
Does anyone really care about an old Golf being crushed by a JCB?
Spooksta
25-09-2006, 19:53
Have they reviewed a car yet ?
That was poor. Only amusing thing was the desperate bigging up of the show by VBH in an 'honest, we're better than Top gear' plea ;)
Terrible terrible terrible.
I like Lovejoy on Soccer AM. The relaxed Saturday morning style works well for him. However, take him out of that and he is awful. As for the rest of the program, it's got even worse than the last series. I mean, wow, crushing a car with a digger, amazing! Racing an RC car or a plane, never seen that before!
Why don't they go back to being an honest a car show? There is a gap in the schedules now for a car show that tells us the details about the cars, compares them in real world situations and goes in-depth about what's good and what's bad. No-one does car's as entertainment TV as well as Top Gear so don't even try.
This whole program came across as Top Gear for pre-teens...
Pointless Lovejoy being on there if he knows nothing about cars.
The death of another tv car show format. This happened to Driven on C4, what was once the most sensible format turned into a automotive "It's a knockout" and even a mid-series rework failed to save it.
Dump the Lovejoy or this'll go the same way.
LouBarlow
25-09-2006, 20:17
Lovejoy is god on Soccer AM - glad I missed him in this.
He is not ready.
belgarion_v
25-09-2006, 20:54
Oh dear, how to ruin a programme, which only had its moments anyway. Unfortunately its the best bits they've removed and left us with the dross.
Vince
I must agree with every said so far. Lovejoy stick only to soccerAM.
Was it my tele or did the closeups of Lovejoy make him look sunburnt like David (cheap as chips) Dickenson. There's an antiques link for you.
5th Gear = Reverse Gear.
The guy from the gadget show is ok though.
snoopstah
25-09-2006, 21:27
That was, quite simply, horrendous.
budgie55
25-09-2006, 21:28
Vicky B was more wooden and robotic than the VW Golf.... personally think the golf looked better also.
Dick Long
25-09-2006, 22:59
Desperate, just desperate ... makes Pimp my Ride seem intellectual and sophisticated ... :gag:
family man
26-09-2006, 07:52
God this was really awful!!!
What was the whole hosting it in a cafe thing all about?? Trying to reach the common man or something I guess.
Used to be reasonable enough probgramme but their desperate need to try and emulate the TG boys has totally killed it!!
BeelzebubUK
26-09-2006, 12:26
I couldn't believe how much they had changed it and as soon as I saw Tim Lovejoy presenting I just thought what a pile of cack. Won't be watching this again.
Desperate, just desperate ... makes Pimp my Ride seem intellectual and sophisticated ... :gag:
Seconded.
Nick dVl
26-09-2006, 12:38
What the hell happened to this show?!? Tuned in last night and it was complete and utter crap!
That Tim character just came across as a total fool with that cheezy inane grin of his. Heck, bring back Plato - at least he's a professional driver! And put Tiff back in the main presenter role rather than VBH. And for Pete's sake, why don't they get a decent set rather than some pikey cafe? I actually found Tom Ford and that other Gadget Show guy's piece the most entertaining, which isn't saying much since they were really just fluff pieces.
I used to be a fan of Fifth Gear since it was a bit more informative about reasonably priced cars than Top Gear (which I also like), but this was just pathetic. I hope the BBC and the H&S minions don't kill Top Gear because of the Hammond incident - it would just be terrible if this motoring show was all that remained.
Highlander
26-09-2006, 14:41
Only saw about 10 mins of this last night, but I gather that was enough? Wasn't the cafe, The Ace Cafe? If so it is a regular haunt for car enthusiasts. Are they planning to be based there all series, or are they moving around?
Radiohead
26-09-2006, 20:35
It's a biker haunt first and foremost....
http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/f1.htm
BeelzebubUK
27-09-2006, 10:08
It's a biker haunt first and foremost....
Doesn't surprise me. Aren't most car haunts deserted retail shopping car parks :)
Doesn't surprise me. Aren't most car haunts deserted retail shopping car parks :)
Well this will very soon be a deserted car show...
I would have thought at least half of the blokes that watch it only watch it because of Vicky Butler H anyway? :cuckoo:
I'm in the other half then, can't stand her and yet she's no longer the worst thing in it. When that happens you know you're in trouble.
George vader
27-09-2006, 12:25
Pretty desperate stuff wasn't it, I've got loads of time for Tim Lovejoy on Soccor AM but on this show he looked lost,
the features were pants, get well soon Hamster WE NEED TOP GEAR BACK.....ASAP!!!
It used to annoy me that every week featured Tiff going sideways, but I was impressed with the Evo IX demo this week (until the stupid race with the plane took over the feature).
I thought it was quite cheeky to show him pointing out the radio while basically flying around the track one handed.
I also appreciated the demo of the "Scandinavian Flick" (which I've always done in rally games but never knew it had a name) used to get it sliding around a corner. They had a great over the shoulder view showing exactly what the steering, car and track were doing. Top Gear tend to prefer the colour filtered slow-mo shots filled with tyre smoke.
But other than that it was pants. The Mini vs Radio Controlled Car felt VERY staged.
Oh, actually, the computer driven Golf was kinda cool. But other than that it was pants. :)
Dick Long
05-10-2006, 18:37
Swore I wouldn't watch this again but stuck it on the PVR anyway and saw it last night.
If you fast forward all the VBH and Lovejoy bits to camera it's just about watchable (as in 3 on a 10 point scale). But then made the mistake of watching the 'Lovejoy as a London traffic warden for a day' item. This could have been an OK though hardly original bit, but that guy is such a effete cringe-inducing twerp that it was utter carp. Even their phone-in quiz for boneheads is better TV than Lovejoy :mad:
Took me 15 mins on Sky+. (((((:)
belgarion_v
05-10-2006, 20:47
Swore I wouldn't watch this again but stuck it on the PVR anyway and saw it last night.
If you fast forward all the VBH and Lovejoy bits to camera it's just about watchable (as in 3 on a 10 point scale). But then made the mistake of watching the 'Lovejoy as a London traffic warden for a day' item. This could have been an OK though hardly original bit, but that guy is such a effete cringe-inducing twerp that it was utter carp. Even their phone-in quiz for boneheads is better TV than Lovejoy :mad:
I have removed it from my PVR list of things to record.
Vince
Didn't catch the first ep but saw the second - surprised to see Lovejoy. I do like him on Soccer AM but it does seem a strange move, given a seeming lack of car enthusiasm/knowledge. Spose a little 'bedding in' time is inevitable.
The Ace Cafe is a great place to host from though - very cool and loads of motoring history.
Did like Jason Plato so that's a shame but Tom Ford is usually really good. Obviously VBH's dirty laugh is also a big draw! :n0rty:
Probably stick with it in Top Gear's absence but certainly grateful for Sky+ and the ability to skip through the rubbish bits.
Dick Long
06-10-2006, 14:19
Blimey mjb, this sounds as though you are The Forum Member who likes 5th Gear :eek: :eek: :eek:
;)
Ho ho! It doesn't even register on the radar when comparing to the mighty Top Gear, but I don't mind leaving it on series link on Sky+ and will probably watch most of it when recorded.
Do remember skipping quite a lot of sections in the last series as well as the new eps.
Watched an episode tonight. Lovejoy with a frankly qorrying scarf on. The show is just truely awful now. I don;t get why they changed the format so much but its just got nothing to do with cars any more. Some random bloke in a Lambo saying "yeah its ace". NEWS ALERT! WE ALREADY KNEW THAT! VBH teaching her sister to drive - who cares. some rack of car horns? Where are the car reviews et? I turned it off then. The cafe format is just **** and the whole show feels less loosly held together than graham nortons underpants.
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