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
what happened with the cars that tg bought for the special episodes?
Was the backup car there just for the laughs or could Jeremy James or Richard have actually used it.
I think in the rear wheel drive challenge (with the french Ice Race) May’s car broke down and he had to drive the Morris Marina back up car.
Was there much deviation from the script? Was some of the humor actually genuine or was everything scripted?
How long does it take to write a script from 0 to a 100, like for the last Africa Special, from the idea, to the final script that ended up being the whole episode (in this case 2 episodes)? And is the script modified when you were filming, or you stick to the original one without any changes?
The specials have very little script at all. A track test, on the other hand, will be very scripted. One way of working was that Jeremy and I would sit together and bash through one of two of those, maybe even three. I can’t tell you how long it would take. Sort of depended how on form we were. Sometimes very fast, then a bit of tweaking over following days. Sometimes not so fast and a lot of pacing around.
What do you think of TopGear France?
When I saw your picture at first I thought you were Paul Walker.
I know that Richard really was up the mountain in Canada for 4 days - my question is - did he KNOW he was going to be up there for 4 days?
Well he had a pretty good idea of who was coming for him so, yes. But the main point is he really did camp up there the whole time. He’s quite resilient, as you might guess.
What are your three favourite episodes?
So you know who the Stig is but won’t tell us and he won’t be in the new show?
Did they really killed a cow in Australia special ?
It was dead when they got there, officer.