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Post by iamthenakedavenger on Jan 7, 2009 20:36:59 GMT
the lowdown on my visit to Top Gear for Episode 7 (last in seies bar Vietnam)?.
I realise its been a while but I did promise!
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Post by wildcathammondette on Jan 7, 2009 20:40:21 GMT
eh yeah sure, do tell
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Post by stigalicious on Jan 7, 2009 20:56:50 GMT
Yup... always interested in the lo down!
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Post by Wyvern on Jan 7, 2009 20:58:36 GMT
Yes please!
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Post by Vixen on Jan 7, 2009 21:01:09 GMT
Go for it!  |
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Post by iamthenakedavenger on Jan 7, 2009 22:10:19 GMT
Here goes then.. as far as I can remember!
Lovely weather on the day. Freezing, freezing cold but lovely and sunny. The little car made it to Dunsfold about 1pm after some bad orienteering from me but we got to drive through some lovely countryside because of it!
Passed the time drinking volcanic coffee from the Dunsfold Diner, smoking and looking at the hallowed airfield.
Your man from Applause Store was ludicrously late and we made the walk down. Standing in the queue outside the hangar we saw the stig taking Tom Jones round the track to the sound of squealing tyres and Jay Kay being a petrolhead with some of his mates on the track in a BMW convertible doing doughnuts and generally arsing about.
If that didn’t get me excited enough I have to say I nearly died walking into that hangar! My GOD it was Top Gear! The Hilux, the mini.. the stage! Andy came on and asked us what we liked best about the year so they knew what to do for the next series. The commie cars and the Alfas seemed to be most popular. Jez then came on and then came James and Hammond to lots of excitement from the crowd. Jez explained that they’d turned away 300 people from the gate! So if you do get tickets, its pretty clear that AS oversubscribe so do get there early!
Tom Jones had to leave early so they did the SIARPC first so Hammond and James left the stage and walked right past me! Hammond really is the tiniest man ever and the girl in front nearly died of excitement as he pushed past. I’m about 5.7 and I could see the top of his head! James followed behind going “excuse me… hello… sorry…sorry … excuse me”. Bless. I may have stared and touched his lovely leather coat… just a bit.
Shant go into SIARPC.. Tom Jones, a car etc. Then they got the boys back on for the news. FACTOID; James has Ginger Beer in that plastic cup, with a touch of Red Bull, the others have neat Red Bull! Made me giggle anyway. News was hilarious, the dressing up fall into the crowd was a complete shock and they had to stop recording for a while to check Hammond was okay and the woman he’d fallen on wasn’t injured! As they did, James shouted at Hammond… “Don’t take the f-ing hat off it took f-ing ages to get on!!!” As ever there was loads of naughty stuff they didn’t show mainly about the SheWee and a mini ‘Rabbit’ you can plug into the fag lighter!
Then the old woman in the chair powered by the V8. This took about 45 minutes cos the engine wouldn’t start! They said they would cobble together some bits and then it was outside for the break. James was making the tea again and frankly he had a HUUUUGE crowd around him. Poor guy, people shouting his name, taking photos, demanding he speak to people on phones and so I was thinking I didn’t want to be a mad groupie and hung back thinking I had missed a chance. They called everyone back in to restart and mercifully there he was with just a few people round him! The production people were actually calling his name to go back in so I wandered up behind some blokes and yelled “James I’m sorry but its my birthday” and he looked up and called me over! “Whats the honours then” he asked. Now, since then clearly lots of things have come into my head about what I could have said but I said “ just a photo if that’s okay?!” Duh! I look like a starstruck, grinning idiot, James looks cool with a kinda half smile. He looks lovely though. After that he looked me right in the eye and said “well I hope you have a very Happy Birthday” and kind of bowed to me! He was so lovely. It was clear he needed to be back in the studio and I had uncharacteristically yelled at him so I didn’t take any more of his time and ran off!!
The rest of it was Top Gear awards which was fab. We were behind James and he turned around to us all before it started and said “Was the tea okay? How far past the sell by date were the crisps this time?” What they didn’t show on the TV was about half an hour of Jay Kay receiving his award. He brought a huge bag with him and proceeded to give the boys loads of presents. James got white heart shaped sunglasses and a new shirt, and I cant remember what Jez and Hammond got apart from a couple of t-shirts cos James was showing everyone his new shirt but they cut the whole lot out. I guess mainly because there was lots of swearing, backs to cameras and general bedlam! You see JK arrive with a bag, get his award and then leave with an empty bag!
Richard seems to be the one who communicates with Andy via his ear piece (only reliable one??) cos he was saying “Andy is crying about this now… they have no idea how to edit this!!”. Hammond also got given his Ann Summers Sexiest man on Telly award by Jez (a huge ‘Rabbit’ painted gold on a plinth!) which they also cut out! For fairly obvious reasons!
They then recorded the intro to Vietnam and we all went off into the cold frosty night to scrape our windscreens! In all we were in the studio from 3 till 7.30 and its really not a bad way to spend a mid thirties birthday I can tell you!
Hope this hasn’t been too long and boring. Thanks for all your advice and birthday wishes!
NA
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Post by lymaze on Jan 7, 2009 22:15:08 GMT
Excellent review. Lucky you to have James wish you a happy birthday.  |
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Post by tui on Jan 7, 2009 22:16:45 GMT
wow, that is so cool ;D thanks for sharing glad you plucked up the courage to yell at him, what a birthday present  he is such a sweet guy  *not at all jealous*  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2009 22:19:03 GMT
That was brilliant I'm delighted you had a fantastic time It is totally surreal to be there isn't it? Poor andy and yes we saw the trouble he had. I'm also delighted you had a picture with James too, he is a complete gentleman. Thank you for the report and including the extra bits we didn't see |
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Post by Wyvern on Jan 7, 2009 22:19:39 GMT
OMG, I knew it must have been uproar from what they managed to get onto the screens... sounds like it was utterly brilliant! I'm so glad Hammond got his 'special' award What a fantastic day. Thanks so much for sharing |
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Post by Eclair on Jan 7, 2009 22:26:03 GMT
Thank you very much.... Awww Andy talking to the crowd and stressing with his editing... Thank you very much for your excellent report  |
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Post by Doofey on Jan 7, 2009 22:39:11 GMT
Thanks for sharing that. What a wonderful time you had. To have James wish you a Happy Birthday would be the best present ever.
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Post by iamthenakedavenger on Jan 7, 2009 23:15:59 GMT
Eclair have you ever been to filming? If not then Andy actually sits with the rest of the production team in a hut outside. Like I said, Richard is the only one entrusted with an ear piece and he seems to tell Jez and James if they have done something wrong or need to redo an intro. James did his intro to the hydro car and then Richard basically relayed Andys comments to him to do it again.
The best thing is though.... Sometimes the guys shout out to him or ask him a question and he answers by coming over the loudspeakers in the hangar! Its a bit like god speaking!
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Post by Eclair on Jan 8, 2009 8:18:14 GMT
No unfortunately I haven't NA...and I'm probably not likely to  Obviously living far away in Australia has its disadvantages, though I certainly have considered in the past whether to jump on a plane or not when other members have secured tickets!! As Andy Wilman is who he is, i.e. he is The Boss I rather assumed he has a huge part to play at TG filming, albeit mostly behind the scenes And I know members here have met him at filming and he has spent time chatting, plus I've seen him in the audience (recent episode 6) or maybe rather near the cameramen! But I didn't know about the loud speaker thing...how brilliant. He has a lovely voice doesn't he? *drools unashamedly* PS. I wonder if Rich is the only one with an earpiece communicating with Andy because... *runs away from potential lobbing* ...he has the best hearing? ;D  |
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Post by lew on Jan 8, 2009 8:24:04 GMT
What an excellent review........tis a day to remember, I actually think May draws more of the crowd......
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Post by misspan on Jan 8, 2009 8:51:04 GMT
Eclair - I would consider jumping on a plane if someone had a spare ticket to a filming ever so if you need a travelling companion I am your girl |
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Post by Shortie on Jan 8, 2009 11:05:05 GMT
Great report, thank you, I felt as if I was there with you. What a brilliant birthday. I like the Voice of God bit, too - things like that remind me of the hospital scenes in the Muppet Show, whenever the voiceover said something all the puppets stopped what they were doing and looked skywards. Yes, I do know the Muppets aren't real. |
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Post by maureen on Jan 8, 2009 16:05:26 GMT
Thank you, NA, for the great day out. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and got to meet James on your birthday. That's wonderful. |
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Post by jacqui on Jan 8, 2009 16:44:17 GMT
What more could a girl ask for on her birthday - a "happy birthday" from James - awww sweeeeeeet ;D Sounds like you had a great day ! :'(not jealous at all  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2009 18:47:27 GMT
Great report, thank you, I felt as if I was there with you. What a brilliant birthday. I like the Voice of God bit, too - things like that remind me of the hospital scenes in the Muppet Show, whenever the voiceover said something all the puppets stopped what they were doing and looked skywards. Yes, I do know the Muppets aren't real.Actually that describes it perfectly. Voice of God |
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Post by ladyshaniique08 on Jan 8, 2009 19:18:31 GMT
That's an amazing birthday gift.
*jealous right now*
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Post by Vixen on Jan 8, 2009 20:43:54 GMT
Cheers NA! That was a fantastic read! Yes, I do know the Muppets aren't real. They're not?!  |
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Post by Shortie on Jan 9, 2009 7:45:26 GMT
Yes, I do know the Muppets aren't real. They're not?! Shhhh, Vixen. No-one is supposed to know!  |
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Post by Vixen on Jan 9, 2009 9:35:25 GMT
Ooooh, ok ;D
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Post by stigalicious on Jan 9, 2009 23:40:54 GMT
wow, great review, thanks for sharing it with us! God I cant wait til thats me!
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Post by Liz on Jan 9, 2009 23:43:35 GMT
Yes... I only read it today... my envy knows no bounds! Oh well... only two(?) more years till my tickets arrive! |
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Obviously living far away in Australia has its disadvantages, though I certainly have considered in the past whether to jump on a plane or not when other members have secured tickets!! 
I love a man who can handle a gun 
