Tom Ford (presenter)

{{Short description|British motoring journalist & TV presenter (b.1976)}} {{For|other people with a similar name|Thomas Ford (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Tom Ford | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|1|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Leicestershire, England | occupation = {{flatlist| * Journalist * presenter }} | status = | children = | website = | television = {{flatlist| * ''Fifth Gear'' * ''Top Gear America'' }} }} '''Tom Ford''' (born 3 January 1976) is a British motoring journalist and television presenter. He was the co-host of Five motoring television series ''Fifth Gear'' from 2002 until 2009.<ref name="autotrader">{{cite news | title = Channel Five star too mad for Top Gear | url = http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/car_page_content/34048.html | work = Auto Trader | publisher = Trader Media Group | date = 2007-04-25}}</ref> In 2017, he began presenting ''Top Gear America'' for BBC America.<ref name="BBC America">{{cite news|last1=Schwindt|first1=Oriana|title='Top Gear America' Ordered By BBC America|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/top-gear-america-bbc-1202011923/|accessdate=July 2, 2017|publisher=Variety|date=March 20, 2017}}</ref>

==Education== While studying for his philosophy degree at Essex University Ford joined a performance art group called Kiss My Axe,<ref name="autotrader"/> before a brief time with a circus. He later returned to education and obtained another degree in journalism.<ref name="autotrader"/>

==Journalism== Ford's writing includes a stint at ''Car'' magazine where he rose from staff writer to road test editor. He currently writes for ''Top Gear'' magazine as a contributing editor for the publication, having previously been Deputy Editor for the publication. He also regularly writes for the ''Sunday Times'' motoring section.

In March 2014, he began filming ''Mud, Sweat & Gears''.

==''Fifth Gear''== Ford became a presenter of ''Fifth Gear'' for Channel 5 in 2002.<ref name="autotrader"/> The show was planned to be cancelled in 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausmotive.com/2009/10/19/fifth-gear-cancelled.html |title=Fifth Gear cancelled — CONFIRMED|work=AUSmotive.com|date=19 October 2009}}</ref> however it did return in 2010 but without Ford.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.carsuk.net/fifth-gear-on-tv-the-return/|title = Fifth Gear on TV - the Return|date = 23 March 2010}}</ref>

In autumn of 2007 he crashed heavily during the filming of episode 7 of series 12 which resulted in broken toes. After winning a drifting competition on Bedford Rascal van against his colleague, Ford went for a glory run; however, during the power slide he put the car on two wheels and ended up in the barrier. After experience of rolling over in Reliant Robin in a similar event earlier in the series, he was wearing a substantial amount of protective gear, and his only major injuries were three broken toes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autoblog.com/amp/2007/09/27/fifth-gear-host-injured-while-drifting-a-team-van|title = Fifth Gear host injured while drifting A-Team van}}</ref>

==''Top Gear America''== Ford was announced as one of the presenters of BBC America motoring television series, ''Top Gear America'', an American version of ''Top Gear''.<ref name="BBC America"/> It began airing on July 30, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/TopGearAmerica|title=Top Gear BBC America|website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070305230523/http://fifthgear.five.tv/ ''Fifth Gear'' website] * [http://www.topgear.com/ ''Top Gear'' website] * [https://twitter.com/tomwookieford Ford's Twitter feed]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ford, Tom}} Category:Living people Category:1977 births Category:British motoring journalists Category:British television presenters