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Fifth Gear News Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Final word for FinalGear?

FinalGear.com take-down notice

FinalGear.com is the go to place on the internet for news on motoring shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear. That also means it has been a reliable source of information for viewers outside of the UK who want to watch new episodes as soon as possible after going to air. That information, of course, relates to illegal downloads.

FinalGear states that it “does not host any torrents or copyright infringing material” but it does provide links relating to such activities. Today, the website was issued a take-down notice from the UK’s Director Of Intelligence & Investigations Federation Against Copyright Theft which states in part:

BBC Worldwide Consumer Products, Soda Pictures has received information that the domain listed above, which appears to be on servers under your control, is offering unlicensed copies of, or is engaged in other unauthorized activities relating to copyrighted works owned by BBC Worldwide Consumer Products.

Further, the notice demands that any relevant links be removed:

We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described above, and thereby prevent the unauthorized distribution of the work(s) via your companys network.

We expect the website, in particular its forums, will remain active. It’s just that people wanting to get their hands on the latest episodes of Top Gear might have to look elsewhere. Although, perhaps sufficient action is also being taken against whoever does host episodes for download in future that only officially sourced content may be available. If it’s actually possible to achieve such an aim.

[Source: FinalGear]

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Top Gear Australia

Party over for Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia cast

Steve Pizzati confirmed via his twitter feed this morning that Top Gear Australia has been shelved. “It’s true – as of next week, TGA will be on at the special time of not at all,” he quipped.

“Sorry to the open-minded people that gave it a go AND enjoyed!”

A total of six episodes were commissioned for Series 4, of which three have now aired. It’s uncertain if the remaining eps will ever see the light of day.

Pizzati doesn’t hold out much hope, “We’re told the last three episodes will make an appearance in the summer. Or try Blockbuster Video in the BetaMax section.”

Many predicted the show would likely fail back in 2008 when word first emerged that SBS would produce a locally made series. Hindsight now offers the proof.

Ironically, Top Gear Australia probably peaked in terms of quality when it was on SBS. After Channel Nine splashed their cash the local version never really looked like matching the success of the original British cast.

[Pic: shanejacobson.com.au]

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Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia: Series 4 back on 30 August

Top Gear Australia, Series 4

Word has come through that Top Gear Australia, Series 4, is due to air on Channel 9 from Tuesday next week.

It’s been almost 12 months since we saw the TGA lads in action. Perhaps it has taken that long for Ewen and Shane to patch up their differences, as one reader suggested last November?

We’ll have to wait until 8:30pm on 30 August to find out. Andy Lee will be the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

[Source: TV Tonight | Pic: shanejacobson.com.au | Thanks to Stu for the tip]

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Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Series 17 starting on 12 June (or not)

Top Gear cast

First filed: 18 May

According to the latest issue of the Dutch edition of Top Gear magazine Season 17 is due to air on BBC2 from Sunday 12 June (see below).

Meanwhile, Top Gear Australia has recently been recording its studio pieces for the next series which will be due to air on Channel 9 later this year.

[Source: Final Gear]

UPDATE 19 May: It looks like the Dutch Top Gear mag went a bit early by naming a start date for the next season. A wrap on the knuckles for someone, we suspect. So, Top Gear Series 17 will start in June and most likely on a Sunday, too. You have a one in four chance of being right; name your date below!

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Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia – Series 3 returns

Top Gear Australia cast, 2010

Top Gear Australia, Series 3—aka The Channel 9 version—makes its debut on Tuesday at 7:30pm. The new series kicks off with a 90 minute show dubbed “The Ashes Special” which will see the Aussies take on the Poms. Could the new series jump the shark in its very first episode?

Below is the text from the IceTV guide:

“Cricket passions transfer to automobiles when the Aussie Top Gear mavens, Shane Jacobson, Ewen Page and Steve Pizzati, go to England to take on the originals – Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond on their home turf. A bit like the cricket actually.”

Ewen Page also has a preview on the Top Gear website. Let’s hope its not as cringe worthy as it sounds.

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Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia names cast for 2010

Top Gear Australia cast, 2010

We knew Top Gear Australia was going to be produced after the switch to Channel Nine, but, until now we didn’t know who would host the program. Well, apart from a dodgy Shane Warne rumour. As you can see Steve Pizzati (left) is back, and is the only of the former SBS hosts to keep his job.

Joining Pizzati is comedian Shane Jacobson (centre) and journo Ewen Page, who just happens to be editor-in-chief of Top Gear Australia magazine and the topgear.com website.

Self-confessed revhead Jacobson, best known for his lead role in the movie Kenny, is cockahoop at his new gig, “I like many different types of cars, so now that I’m getting the chance to drive plenty of fast cars on other people’s insurance, let me just say I’m as happy as Elvis in a room full of burgers.

“But the people who pay the insurance aren’t quite as excited. I think they feel like Guy Fawkes has just been given the keys to an explosives factory – and they’re right.”

Meanwhile, Page is keen to be taking on one of the few roles in he hasn’t tried during his career in motoring media, which is approaching its fourth decade, “I’m aiming to bring a more urbane, intellectual feel to the show. I will be testing Saabs exclusively, wearing black turtleneck sweaters and featuring in extended stories on the car and its role in modern society. Or doing burnouts in a Falcon ute.”

As for Pizzati, he seems to be his usual vibrant self, “Eat + sleep + incessant travel + seriously cool driving = my life, but I am currently trying to remove the first three parts of the equation.”

No news yet on when the new series will go to air; on his Transmission blog Ewen Page says filming is just about to begin, so we’re a few months away yet. Can commercial television turn Top Gear Australia into something fair dinkum Top Gear fans will genuinely embrace? Not sure about anyone else, but while I wish the new crew all the best, I’m not holding my breath.

[Source: TopGear.com]

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Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear, Season 15 – due to start in July

Top Gear cast

A number of sources are currently suggesting Series 15 will premiere on UK screens in July. BBC’s scheduling of Top Gear during Germany 2006 shows it is unlikely they will air Top Gear while the World Cup is underway. The final of South Africa 2010 is on Sunday 11 July. This all points to a possible return for Top Gear on Sunday 18 July.

Meanwhile, speculation is building that Channel Nine plans to revive Top Gear Australia with a six episode series to air during 2010. There’s nothing official just yet, so watch this space.

UPDATE 7 June: The boys will be back on UK screens from 27 June.

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Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Across the line

Top Gear 04x10

The tenure of SBS TV as the home of Top Gear in Australia will cross the line on Monday evening. The final episode via SBS will air at 7:30pm and is one from the vault—the final episode of Season 4—which originally aired in August 2004.

It’s a great snapshot showing how far the show has come. Even with four seasons behind it history has shown the Top Gear journey has been taken to a whole new level, with even higher production values and an ever increasing ambition apparent in following years.

However, this ending doesn’t mean the end of Top Gear on Australian screens. You will probably remember Channel Nine have come in and thrown their weight around to secure the rights from SBS.

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News Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia – now with Nine speed box

Top Gear Australia moves to Channel 9

Viewers of Top Gear Australia will be tuning into a new channel in 2010 after it was confirmed today that Channel Nine has negotiated the rights away from SBS. The switch of channels completes a quinella for PBL Media, publishers of Top Gear Australia magazine.

Little surprise, though, that Nine supremo and Australian television heavyweight David Gyngell is excited by the new deal with BBC Worldwide, “We are absolutely delighted to be working together with one of the world’s great broadcasting powerhouses on a program of this quality and wide appeal,” he said.

“Top Gear is quite simply an outstanding television product.”

Details of the cast members following the channel move are undecided, although it appears the Shane Warne rumour was false. Steve Pizzati, a host under the SBS regime, has given little away on his twitter account, other than to say “RE: TGA – Will let you all know when there is something to report. Promise.”

The new Channel Nine deal also includes the rights to the UK series of Top Gear, which is expected to begin Series 14 on UK screens from 15 November. Details and scheduling are yet to be confirmed for Australian audiences, but it is expected Nine will start screening episodes of Top Gear early next year.

[Source: ABC Online & The Motor Report]

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Top Gear Top Gear Australia

WTF – Shane Warne to host Top Gear Australia?

Shane Warne

Wow, I didn’t ever see the day where Shane Warne would feature on AUSmotive, but the Herald Sun is reporting that Warney is set to host a revamped version of Top Gear Australia which would move from current broadcaster SBS and air on Channel Nine. Details are sketchy at the moment, although it is reported that a deal for a six episode series is expected to be signed off in days.

Watch this space!

[Source: news.com.au | Thanks to Mick for the tip]

UPDATE: According to ABC Online, a BBC exec has described the suggestion of Shane Warne fronting Top Gear Australia as “utter nonsense!”

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Top Gear Australia

Steve Pizzati plays a bit of roly poly

Steve Pizzati rolls his Aussie Racing Car

Top Gear Australia host Steve Pizzati—the Australian Hamster—got himself into a spot of bother last weekend when he tried barrel rolling his car during Aussie Racing Car event. Needless to say the ordeal ended in tears, or more accurately, a “humdinger of a headache and a sore neck”.

The crash happened at Sydney’s Eastern Creek where Pizzati was racing as a guest in a support category for the Australian Superbike Series.

Fortunately he sustained no major injuries.

Not to be outdone, the original Hamster and Top Gear UK presenter, Richard Hammond, had another bingle on the weekend too. Hammond was uninjured, but his horrible Morgan AeroMax didn’t fare quite so well.

[Source: Daily Telegraph | Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]

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Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia – Series 2, Episode 8

Top Gear Australia - Series 2, Episode 8

Tonight saw the conclusion of the second series of Top Gear Australia and if I reflect back to my notes from the same point at Series 1 I have to conclude that forward steps have been taken by the crew at SBS.

The cinematography and post production has taken big steps forward, certainly, although there is still some work remaining to ensure the results reach a consistently high level.

James Morrison, used more sparingly than I expected, has been a solid replacement for Charlie Cox. He can, however, come across a little too smooth. Also, to make the inevitable Top Gear UK comparison, you never get the feeling that he is prepared to lay it on the line and say what he really thinks about a car.

Steve’s enthusiasm can be OTT, but, equally, that is his most enduring feature. He needs to find a balance, and fast! Warren, for me, is still the show’s best performer. That either tells you a fair bit about the show, or you’ll think I have no idea. Or perhaps a bit of both.

Tonight’s episode was a solid 7 out of ten, much like the series overall. Steve’s GTHO piece was good, but lacked punch. James and Warren’s luxo-saloon segment had quite a few holes in its review of the technology on offer, inasmuch as a lot of the technology in the Lexus 600 is also available on the Mercedes-Benz S Class. Not to mention on “lesser” cars such as the Volkswagen Golf. Yet, this didn’t rate a mention in the review. Odd. So too the reason for putting a BMW X6 twin turbo V8 around the test track. Where was the context? Well done to Gyton Grantley, though, for setting a new benchmark time for the celeb segment. It would be nice if the cross promotion for SBS took a more of a backward seat when selecting guests, however.

The ingredients for Top Gear Australia are there, but the viewer is left with a feeling that the show could be better. Perhaps one needs to evaluate the show differently now, but the fact it is a Top Gear franchise makes it hard to do. The consistently excellent UK series ensures the bar remains high. No word yet on the production of Series 3 for the local lads. If it happens, let’s hope further improvements are made. Or, maybe, as hard as it is to do, comparisons to the UK show need to stop.