Country of origin United Kingdom Original network BBC Two | No. of episodes 7 | |
Starring Jeremy Clarkson
Richard Hammond
James May Original release 28 January (2007-01-28) – 25 July 2007 (2007-07-25) | ||
The ninth series of Top Gear aired during 2007 and consisted of six episodes, beginning on 28 January and concluding on 4 March. The series featured two specials that were broadcast after the series had ended, -"Top Gear of the Pops" on 16 March and the "Top Gear: Polar Special" on 25 July. Production of the series was delayed due to Hammond's accident in September 2006, and did not begin until the following month, and the first episode of the series has subsequently never been repeated on TV owing to Hammond's near-death experience. In addition, the "Best Of Top Gear" special meant to be broadcast before Series 9 and showcase the best moments of Series 8, was delayed and later shown in place of the repeat of the fifth episode of the series.
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"Mental" comments
Following the broadcast of the first episode of the series, several viewers complained after watching Clarkson ask Hammond how he felt after the crash with the question "Are you now a mental?", before witnessing May offer him a tissue in case he "dribbled". In response to the complaints, the BBC claimed that the comments had been merely made as a joke, but realised they would have caused offence to mentally disabled and brain-damaged viewers, and thus apologised for failing to consider this.
US Special: Cow on Camaro
Following the airing of the US Special, both the BBC and the UK media regulator Ofcom received 91 complaints in regards to the scene in which Clarkson drove to the trio's campsite with a cow tied to his Camaro. In response to this, the BBC defended the programme by stating that the cow had not been harmed or injured by Clarkson and that it had died several days previously before the scene was filmed.
Level Crossing Public Service Video
During episode 5, Clarkson filmed a segment in which he did a public service video about Level Crossings, with a reconstruction organised by Network Rail as part of their Don't Run The Risk campaign. However, the segment was heavily criticised after it had been aired. Some of the criticism it garnered was due to the fact that it was broadcast just 2 days after the Cumbria train crash, even though the crash had not been caused by a track incursion. Other criticism was on the reconstruction by Network Rail, with Anthony Smith, chief executive of the rail watchdog Passenger Focus, stating that "We need to raise awareness of the issue, but now is not the right time." However, because the item had been delayed for several weeks due to an earlier fatal level crossing crash, it was decided that with only one more programme remaining in the series along with the frequency of level crossing accidents, that there was no other "appropriate" time to show the film without "offending" somebody.
A repeat of the episode was due to be aired on 1 March 2007, but because of another death on a level crossing that had occurred earlier that morning, it was decided that the repeat would not be shown. Instead, it was replaced with the "Best of Top Gear" episode that had been postponed by Hammond's crash.
Polar Special
Following the broadcast of the Polar Special, the BBC Trust found that the scene in which both Jeremy Clarkson and James May were shown to be drinking a gin and tonic whilst driving through an ice field, could "glamorise the misuse of alcohol" and that it "was not editorially justified in the context of a family show pre-watershed", despite the producer's claiming they were beyond the jurisdiction of drink driving laws, and Clarkson stating on the programme that he was not driving but "sailing" (piloting a vehicle on (frozen) water as opposed to actual land).
In addition, Emily Armistead, a speaker of Greenpeace, heavily criticised the episode. In an article by the Daily Express, she condemned the feature as being "highly irresponsible", further adding that Top Gear had taken some of most polluting vehicles on the road to try to destroy the Arctic quicker than climate change was and that Clarkson "represented some climate-sceptic views and for someone to be on national television saying that is quite alarming."