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SBS ‘inundated’ with Top Gear wannabes

SBS has been inundated in its hunt for hosts of the local Top Gear series. Phones have been running hot from people requesting more information.

A few celebrities have also put up their hand for the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment.

Matt Campbell, SBS Head of Content, told The Australian, “We’ve thrown it completely open.

“We’re looking for quintessentially Australian presenters with the talent, the knowledge and humour to host a sister show to the BBC version, not as a copycat show. We see this as the Ashes of car shows,” he said.

The show has certainly boomed in 2007 as the network’s most popular series. The chemistry of the hosts Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond will be hard to emulate, even though SBS is determined not to find clones. One of the successes of the British series is the fearlessness with which they shoot down poor products.

But the Aussie motoring market is a lot smaller. The local version will need to demonstrate early on that it isn’t afraid to put sponsors and manufacturers offside when they strike a lemon. Getting a bad rap from a local Top Gear could be a devastating blow to local suppliers. This will be a delicate balancing act for everyone.

And finally, I hope producers have stocked up on sexy lenses to capture all those dramatic location shots. The cinematography of Top Gear is half its charm.

Audition info

Source: The Australian.

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