Fifth Gear
British motoring magazine series continuing the original Top Gear format.
Fifth Gear is a British motoring television magazine series that first aired in 2002. It originally ran on Channel 5 from 2002 to 2011, branded as 5th Gear until its rebrand to Fifth Gear in 2004 with series 4, and was created as a follow-up to the original BBC series *Top Gear*, which had been on air from 1977 until its cancellation in 2001. After leaving Channel 5, the show moved to the Discovery Channel in 2012, then to History in 2015, and has been broadcast on Quest since 2018. The current presenting team includes Vicki Butler-Henderson and Jason Plato, with Rory Reid, Grace Webb, and Jimmy de Ville appearing in certain episodes. Past presenters include Quentin Willson, Adrian Simpson, Jonny Smith, and former racing driver Tiff Needell.
The programme first aired on 8 April 2002, keeping the same format and many of the same presenters—Willson, Needell, Butler-Henderson, and Simpson—from the BBC's *Top Gear*. Channel 5 had wanted to keep the *Top Gear* name, but the BBC refused because it still published *Top Gear* magazine; the BBC later relaunched *Top Gear* with a heavily revised, comedy-focused format later in 2002. *Fifth Gear* has been mentioned on *Top Gear*, for instance when host Jeremy Clarkson joked that *Fifth Gear* had "burned our furniture" after a barn fire damaged *Top Gear* property—though this was actually a reference to a fire at the *Top Gear* test track, not linked to *Fifth Gear*.
Needell announced the show's cancellation on 24 May 2016. On 14 June 2018, he revealed on Twitter that he had been filming for a new series of *Fifth Gear*, which aired in September 2018 on Quest, but he left the show in 2019 to join Lovecars.com and their ITV4 programme *On the Road*. After a 2021 relaunch focused on electric vehicles, the show was rebranded as *Fifth Gear Recharged*, presented by Butler-Henderson, Sid North, Karun Chandhok, and Plato, with Grace Webb and engineer Jimmy de Ville contributing reports. In 2024, North One dropped the all-EV format, the programme reverted to the name *Fifth Gear*, and Rory Reid, who had been part of *Recharged* and later the Quest revival, remained in the presenting line-up. Repeats began airing on UKTV channel Dave in April 2008 and later on Discovery Turbo, with early episodes streamed '24/7' on the British feed of Pluto TV in 2019.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Motoring
- Director
- Phil Hawkins
- Theme Music Composer
- John F Calone
- Open Theme
- "Prize Fight"
- Composer
- David Lowe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Num Series
- 29
- Num Episodes
- 271
- List Episodes
- List of Fifth Gear episodes
- Executive Producer
- Richard Pearson
- Producer
- Jim McMullan
- Editor
- Mike Bloore / Mike Brown / Martin Dowell / James Hay / Steve Killick / Leigh Nicholls / Tony Quinsee-Jover / Peter Shannon
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Fifth Gear was first broadcast on 8 April 2002, featuring the same format and many of the same presenters as the BBC's Top Gear, including Quentin Willson, Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, and Adrian Simpson. Channel 5 originally wanted to use the Top Gear name, but the BBC refused as it still operated the Top Gear magazine. The BBC relaunched Top Gear with a drastically revised format later in 2002, placing a strong focus on comedy and general entertainment. Fifth Gear has been referenced in Top Gear, such as when host Jeremy Clarkson satirically claimed that Fifth Gear had 'burned our furniture' after a barn fire damaged Top Gear property—though this was actually about a fire at the Top Gear test track and not linked to Fifth Gear.
Reader's Guide
Fifth Gear's significance lies in its role as a direct continuation of the original, more serious format of Top Gear, offering a motoring magazine focused on car reviews, tests, and shoot-outs. The show's 'infamous' shoot-outs, held at Anglesey Circuit and later Castle Combe Circuit, became a hallmark, comparing similarly priced or powered vehicles. The programme underwent several format changes, from 23-minute episodes to 45-minute and one-hour slots, and back again. In 2021, it was rebranded as Fifth Gear Recharged with an emphasis on electric cars, but in 2024 the all-EV format was scrapped and the programme reverted to being Fifth Gear. Repeats have aired on Dave, Discovery Turbo, and Pluto TV, extending its reach. The show's longevity and adaptation to changing automotive trends, including the electric vehicle shift, underscore its continued relevance in motoring television.
Did You Know?
- Fifth Gear was originally branded as 5th Gear until 2005.
- The show's shoot-outs were filmed at Anglesey Circuit on the Isle of Anglesey, and later at Castle Combe Circuit during refurbishment.
- Tiff Needell announced Fifth Gear's cancellation on 24 May 2016, but a new series aired in September 2018 on Quest.
- In 2024, North One scrapped the all-EV format of Fifth Gear Recharged, with Rory Reid rejoining the presenting line-up.
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