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60 Minutes gives Top Gear a free kick

The final 60 Minutes will give Top Gear a bit of free publicity the day before it returns to our screens.

Jeremy Clarkson would probably call this idea completely bonkers.

The final episode of 60 Minutes will give SBS a bit of free publicity this weekend, with a story on Britain’s Top Gear, the day before it returns to our screens in a new series. In some small mercy, at least it’s the end of the ratings season. It would have hurt Nine’s Mondays a lot more if screened earlier in the year.

Most cross-promos on 60 Minutes have been for Nine shows. It previously featured a Lisa McCune story as Sea Patrol was launching, and another on David Attenborough and Gordon Ramsay.

But the Top Gear story isn’t the first time it’s profiled another network’s acquisitions. At least they can say they’re not biased?

The final 60 Minutes also features a story on Thomas Beattie, who became pregnant after a sex change, and a look back over the show’s best stories for 2008.

It airs 7:30pm Sunday on Nine.

Press Release:
Mr Mum
When we heard it, probably just like you, we thought it was a hoax. A pregnant man? A real life

Mr Mum? But then there was THAT photo. Thomas Beattie a bearded 33-year-old bloke with a baby bump that simply couldn’t be denied. A few months back amidst an international media storm, Thomas gave birth to a baby girl, Susan. In fact, such was the fuss that the Beattie family went into hiding. On Sunday night, Thomas and his wife, Nancy, have emerged to speak to Barbara Walters about their extraordinary medical journey. There’s also another big surprise in store, too.

Reporter: Barbara Walters
Producers: Alan Goldberg, Katie Thomson

Rev Heads
They’re three middle-aged rev-heads, the unlikeliest of stars. But, believe me, this scruffy trio are big and not just with the blokes. Their motoring program, “Top Gear”, is now one of the most watched shows on the planet, the BBC’s hottest property. What’s made Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May so popular is their irreverent, off-the-wall humour. Top Gear’s as much about craziness as cars. And, as Cameron Williams discovered, these guys are really out there. Driving to the North Pole, dragging off a jet fighter. You name it, they’ll give it a go.

Reporter: Cameron Williams
Producer: Jonathan Harley

A Year to Remember
It’s usually our “first commandment” here at 60 MINUTES. Keep your eyes wide open – on tomorrow – and the next big story. But, once a year, we look back over our shoulder, at the way it was, the stories that stick in the memory, yours and ours. The spectacular, inspiring, the heart-breaking and the things that still give us hope or a smile. Come with us on a journey back through 2008.
Reporter: Peter Harvey

8 Responses

  1. The original Top Gear boys ( and when I say original I mean Clarkson, Hammond and May) did a rather brilliant story on 60 minutes, no thanks to the interviewer and editing which a lot to be answered. And personally I found it wonderful that there was no mention of Australian Top Gear, in all honestly it is a rather poor copy of the BBC version, and the dynamic between the hosts is all wrong…come on!! Argh one annoying thing though is that The Top Gear world tour isn’t coming to Melbourne it’s going to Sydney, so anyone feel like buying me a ticket for a plane? I’ll fly with anyone but…you know who.
    Ha. Bye, and lots of love Top Gear boys…
    Stef!!

  2. Watched it last night and shockingly not one mention of the local version even though they covered a new stage show that is touring the world and coming here in 2009. It was a good segment but something was missing, they didn’t get an exclusive interview with the Stig!

  3. Top Gear lads on 60 minutes vs the Australia Idol finale. Quite an interesting move since the original TG was walloping AusIdol in the ratings. I usually clear of 60 minutes but shall be DVR’ing and FF’ing through to that segment.

    And Cameron Williams being given some credibility? For an ex Cleo centrefold (under a pseudonym) and after his controversial depature from Fox Sports? Well it could have been worse. It could have been the cheesy weather guy from Today.

  4. No surprise since the Australian edition of Top Gear magazine is co-published by the BBC and ACP Magazines (which like Channel Nine is owned by PBL Media).

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