The City Of Westminster Isn't Happy About Top Gear's Cenotaph Hoon
Top Gear always had a thing for courting controversy under Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, and that tradition seems to be continuing with Chris Evans as host, with the show angering many for burning rubber near London’s Cenotaph war memorial. Evans has apologised “unreservedly” for filming at the weekend featuring Ken Block kicking up a load of tyre smoke near the monument, but in an interesting turn, the City of Westminster has said that the shoot went against what had been agreed when it gave permission for the show to use closed roads in the London borough.
In a statement, it said: “Respect for the Cenotaph and its special place in the heart of London is vitally important. Therefore Westminster City Council takes any requests for filming in Whitehall and near the Cenotaph very seriously indeed.” The statement goes on to say: “permission was given for the Top Gear car to drive down Whitehall before moving to another location…There was no discussion between BBC producers and Westminster City Council about wheel spins and a ‘donut’ and permission would not have been given to do so.”
However, the BBC has released its own statement, noting that the filming efforts were part of a “large-scale, complex shoot, prepared over a period of four months” and went on to say that:
“The Cenotaph was at no point intended to feature in the programme and therefore will not appear in the final film. However, we are acutely aware of how some of the images in the press look today via the angle and distance they were taken and for which, as Chris Evans has already said, we sincerely apologise.”
A BBC spokesperson has also said that the car was 40 metres away from the memorial while being filmed, but paparazzi photos made it appear as though Ken Block’s ‘Hoonicorn’ Ford Mustang was a lot closer.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
People need to chill the F out
What a ridiculous situation. And Chris Evans failing to back his team is only making this situation worse, going around saying “the film will never be shown” is not the right way to address this at all. At least Clarkson/Hammond/May had the sense to keep their mouth shut and let the BBC handle any controversy.
Oh for fcks sake. Who gives a sht?
Top Gear needs to do anything and everything to survive. Let them get on with it…
Maybe this is just to draw attention to top gear
Finally TG screws something up, and it`s not Jeremys faulf for once.
Bring back Jeramy
The clutch slipped a bit.
They need some milk, but on a serious note it seems that anything that has to do with top gear the people just dont like it and the government or some idiotic high-on has to step in and say something degrading because “it was a disgrace to the soldiers” or whatever stupid propaganda they can shoot out right quick. If they want the troops being supported get them off the dam n streets. Like come on can we really let such pissy, rich asshol es run the world? What little fun we have left is slowly diminishing until its gone.
I’m still waiting to see a video of this.