Hello CT. My name is Richard Porter and I was the script editor on Top Gear. Ask me anything.
After working on the show for 13 years, 22 series and 175 programmes, there’s quite a lot I can tell you about Top Gear. I know whose idea it was to get a dog, I was there when we got threatened by drug barons in Bolivia, I can give you the real story of that Porsche number plate.
After working on the show for 13 years, 22 series and 175 programmes, there’s quite a lot I can tell you about Top Gear. I know whose idea it was to get a dog, I was there when we got threatened by drug barons in Bolivia, I can give you the real story of that Porsche number plate. I’ve put all these things in my new book, but you can ask me about them anyway. Or something else. Up to you. I’m here all night. Try the soup in a basket.
Comments
Big fan of TopGear show and must say you’re amazing by doing this right now!
I have several questions about show in Chernobil. Were you in the recording car when you recorded part in Chernobil itself? How did you insure safety and were all of members and James&Jeremy for it? How is it inside of Chernobil?
Sorry for bad english and i hope more moments like this will be possible!
I wasn’t there for that. It is still quite dangerous, especially off the main paths, so essential staff only. I’m clearly not essential. Those who went in said it was ‘spooky’
Does Jeremy actually have a hammer collection?
Not personally, but we did have a drawer full of the bloody things for his enjoyment when we were in the TG Tech Centre.
I don’t wish to sound rude, however being a script editor (and just generally being a writer) I was wondering if you could share any stories about criticism to your work and how you deal with / overcome them to end up airing fantastic episodes? 😊
I respond to criticism by weeping openly and then drinking heavily.
A more serious answer would be that we tried not to get too hooked on criticism but we did used to read comments on the internet and I think if they were overwhelmingly critical of something we’d realise that perhaps we shouldn’t do that again.
When Jeremy got James a Dacia was it set up to be ruined by the truck?
I have a question about the episode where it was britain vs germany and at the end the germans had to race their porsche against May in an Aston but they secretly used the stig. I can’t remember what episode it was but anyways, was that race scripted aswell or did you let them drive and see what happened?
No need. The Stig is unbeatable.
Who originally came up with the idea for the cheap car challenges?
I can’t remember. I think it might have been Jeremy after discovering how cheap old cars were going for around that time. The £100 cars item came from that, and the idea evolved out of that one film.
What was it like in the Alfa romeo challenge and the Chernobyl challenge?
Have you done the Laferrari/918/P1 test yet, or is it still being filmed?
It’s been shot for the Amazon show. I don’t know any more than you do, beyond that.
In the BMW 24 hour race were there any “edits” to help the race go a bit better and were any rules bent to allow you to get to the finish?
Nope, that was legit. And one of my very favourite films too.
Were you the one behind the hilarious “gentleman’s sausage” jokes? Also, did the GPS in the Lexus Lfa really involved talking to somebody? Btw thank you for all of those episodes, funniest Tv show ever!
I never much liked the gentleman’s sausage thing. That was one of Jeremy’s. There were plenty of times we didn’t agree on material but ultimately he was the one who had to say these things on TV so he got final vote.