One of Britain’s most enduring motoring shows appears to be on the brink of demise after 13 years, and yet nobody seems to care.
Compared to the public outcry when it was announced Jeremy Clarkson would leave Top Gear, there’s been relatively little coverage of the news that Channel 5’s Fifth Gear could be nearing its end.
Although an official announcement hasn’t been made, veteran motoring presenter and racing driver Tiff Needell Tweeted to explain that producers are having a hard time recommissioning the show.
So busy enjoying Mille Miglia forgot to point out @FifthGearTV on @ITV4 on Friday was last one ever recorded. And no news of any more ...
— Tiff Needell (@tiff_tv) May 22, 2016
Needell, who has been presenting car programmes for nearly 30 years and who has been with Fifth Gear since its debut in 2002, intimated that it’s all down to money problems.
Fan favourite Tiff stated that the last episode of Fifth Gear aired last Friday would be the last one to be recorded and said: “It feels weird not to have any filming dates in my diary!”
Trouble getting re-commissioned
Fifth Gear first appeared on Channel 5 in 2002, initially as a continuation of the original BBC Top Gear format, which had been cancelled in 2001 before being revived by Clarkson et al later that year.
Tiff joined a host of presenters including Vicki Butler-Henderson and Jonny Smith, along with former hosts Quentin Wilson, Adrian Simpson and racing driver Jason Plato.
After an unbroken run of 29 years presenting either Top Gear or Fifth Gear it feels weird not to have any filming dates in my diary!
— Tiff Needell (@tiff_tv) May 22, 2016
Top Gear, meanwhile, has recently been revamped with an all-new crew helmed by Chris Evans and ex-Friends star Matt LeBlanc, with the first episode of the new series due to air this Sunday.
As for Clarkson, Hammond and May, the former Top Gear trio have now jumped ship to Amazon Video and last week unveiled the name of their new show, The Grand Tour.
With the return of Fifth Gear looking unlikely, is it possible that Tiff could join forces with either the BBC or Clarkson’s Amazon crew? Here’s hoping he won’t be out of work long.
