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Find sources: "Top Gear of the Pops" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) 2007 British TV series or programme Top Gear of the Pops The Top Gear of the Pops opening title Presented by Jeremy Clarkson Richard Hammond James May Country of origin United Kingdom Production Running time 30 minutes Original release Network BBC Two Release 16 March 2007 (2007-03-16) Related Top of the Pops, Top Gear ***Top Gear of the Pops*** is a one-off special programme that aired for [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two) on 16 March 2007, as part of [Red Nose Day 2007](/source/Red_Nose_Day_2007). The episode combined the elements of *[Top Gear](/source/Top_Gear_(current_format))*, with that of [BBC](/source/BBC) music chart show *[Top of the Pops](/source/Top_of_the_Pops)*, the latter of which was cancelled by the BBC in 2006.[1] In the episode, presenters [Jeremy Clarkson](/source/Jeremy_Clarkson), [Richard Hammond](/source/Richard_Hammond) and [James May](/source/James_May) hosted their own version of the chart show in their studio at [Dunsfold](/source/Dunsfold), including discussions about music-related news topics, and performed as a band for the final number alongside [Justin Hawkins](/source/Justin_Hawkins). The programme was produced as a replacement for *A Question of Comedy*, a one-off special edition of sports quiz *[A Question of Sport](/source/A_Question_of_Sport)* that had been recorded some months earlier for Comic Relief but was withdrawn due to [Jade Goody](/source/Jade_Goody) being involved as one of its contestants. The decision came after it was felt to be inappropriate to show it following the [racism controversy](/source/Celebrity_Big_Brother_racism_controversy) that emerged after her participation on *[Celebrity Big Brother 5](/source/Celebrity_Big_Brother_5_(UK))*. ## Performances - [Lethal Bizzle](/source/Lethal_Bizzle) – "Mr." - The performance was deliberately cut short by Clarkson who literally pulled the plug on him, before labelling it as 'just noise' and referring to him as "Jizzy Tissue" throughout the rest of the show. - [Travis](/source/Travis_(band)) – "[Closer](/source/Closer_(Travis_song))" - The band performed three times during filming to make sure everything was perfect, and was incident-free, with the song the only one to be taken seriously and Clarkson declaring it should be the "kind of thing that should be on TOTP". - [Supergrass](/source/Supergrass) and [Adrian Edmondson](/source/Adrian_Edmondson) – "[Richard III](/source/Richard_III_(song))" - The band were assisted on guitar by comedian Adrian Edmondson, but had to put up with the hosts supplying bizarre "special effects" to "glam" up the song; Clarkson administered excessive dry ice artificial fog, May threw live '[Bonnie Tyler](/source/Bonnie_Tyler) doves' (chickens) in front of and on the stage, and Hammond used a wind machine to finish things. The strong winds from the machine cause Edmondson to be blown off his feet and nearly to fall off the stage. *Note: The hosts pointed out that [Danny Goffey](/source/Danny_Goffey)'s father, [Chris Goffey](/source/Chris_Goffey), used to present the show.* - [McFly](/source/McFly_(band)) – "Sofa Hyundai Administration (Top Gear Blues)" - As part of a challenge set by the hosts, the band were challenged by the hosts to write a song which had to contains the words "Sofa", "Administration" and "Hyundai" but could not include "Love", "Baby" and "Heart", and then perform what they wrote. The song was written during production of the episode, and was performed towards the end of the show, using a basic 12-bar blues pattern. *Note: The song produced by the band was included on their single "[The Heart Never Lies](/source/The_Heart_Never_Lies)", following the broadcast of the special.* - [Justin Hawkins](/source/Justin_Hawkins) – "Red Light Spells Danger" - The hosts performed as the "Top Gear band" Despite none of the presenters being professional [musicians](/source/Musician); all three have musical talent – May has a degree in music, and is a [pianist](/source/Pianist) and [flautist](/source/Flautist), while Hammond and Clarkson play bass and drums respectively. The band consisted of May on [keyboard](/source/Musical_keyboard), Hammond on [bass guitar](/source/Bass_guitar), and Clarkson [drums](/source/Drum_kit), with additional support from a backing guitarist, a keyboard player and three backing vocalists, with the band accompanying [The Darkness](/source/The_Darkness_(band)) front man [Justin Hawkins](/source/Justin_Hawkins), who had been on *Top Gear* as a guest and who sang the song to end the episode. ## Criticism A number of complaints were made by viewers, directed towards James May's actions during Supergrass' performance in which he threw live birds. Viewers were concerned in their complaints that the welfare of the birds had not been considered by the show.[2] ## Reception In an article of *The Guardian* that covered the reception of [Red Nose Day 2007](/source/Red_Nose_Day_2007) with viewers, *Top Gear of the Pops* obtained viewing figures of 6.1 million its timeslot of 22:00-22:30. The figures made it the most watched show of its timeslot, with it attracting a 28% audience share.[3] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-topgearbandbook_1-0)** [Clarkson, Jeremy](/source/Jeremy_Clarkson) (2008). ["You can't kill me, I'm the drummer"](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/jeremy_clarkson/article1529872.ece). *For Crying Out Loud! The World According to Clarkson: Volume Three*. Penguin. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7181-5440-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7181-5440-0). What about *Top Gear of the Pops?* 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["BBC Complaints – Top Gear of the Pops, BBC Two, 16th March"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070522214449/http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/news/2007/03/20/41776.shtml). *[BBC](/source/BBC)*. 20 March 2007. Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/news/2007/03/20/41776.shtml) on 22 May 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Deans, Jason (19 March 2007). ["Comic Relief raises smile for BBC"](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/mar/19/overnights2). *The Guardian*. ## External links - [*Top Gear of the Pops*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0996660/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e Top Gear 1977–2001 format List of episodes 2002–2022 format Series List of episodes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Segments Challenges Power Lap times Races Specials Winter Olympics US Special Polar Special Botswana Special Vietnam Special Bolivia Special Middle East Special India Special Africa Special Burma Special Patagonia Special Other Home video releases Top Gear controversies Top Gear test track BBC v HarperCollins Publishers Ltd The Stig 2007 Britcar 24 Hour Race to the North International versions Australia episodes China 2011 2014 France Russia United States Top Gear episodes Top Gear America South Korea Italy Spin-offs and related Wheelbase Extra Gear Fifth Gear Rally Report Stars in Fast Cars The Getaway Car Top Ground Gear Force Top Gear of the Pops The Grand Tour episodes "The Holy Trinity" Top Gear Magazine Top Gear Motorsport v t e Comic Relief and Sport Relief Founders Richard Curtis Lenny Henry Telethons Comic Relief 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2020: The Big Night In 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Sport Relief 2010 2012 2014 2016 Related programmes And They're Off! Blackadder: The Cavalier Years Celebrity Big Brother 1 Celebrity Driving School Comic Relief Does The Apprentice Comic Relief Does Fame Academy series 1 series 2 The Curse of Fatal Death Famous, Rich and Hungry "From Raxacoricofallapatorius with Love" Glee Club Let's Sing and Dance Let's Play Darts Mr. Bean Only Fools on Horses Rich, Famous and in the Slums Robbie the Reindeer "Hooves of Fire" "Space" and "Time" Spider-Plant Man Sport Relief Does The Apprentice Sport Relief's Top Dog Top Gear of the Pops Top Ground Gear Force Comic Relief singles "Living Doll" (1986) "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (1987) "Help!" (1989) "The Stonk" (1991) "(I Want to Be) Elected" (1992) "Stick It Out" (1993) "Absolutely Fabulous" (1994) "Love Can Build a Bridge" (1995) "Mama"/"Who Do You Think You Are" (1997) "When the Going Gets Tough" (1999) "Uptown Girl" (2001) "Spirit in the Sky" (2003) "All About You/You've Got a Friend" (2005) "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo?" (2005) "Walk This Way" (2007) "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (2007) "Just Can't Get Enough" (2009) "Barry Islands in the Stream" (2009) "Gold Forever" (2011) "I Know Him So Well" (2011) "Happy Now" (2011) "True Faith" (2011) "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" (2013) "Enjoy Yourself" (2024) Sport Relief singles "Your Song" (2002) "Some Girls" (2004) "Don't Stop Me Now/Please, Please" (2006) "Better in Time"/"Footprints in the Sand" (2008) "Morning Sun" (2010) "Proud" (2012) "Word Up!" (2014) Other spinoffs Comic Relief USA (1986–2010) Comic Relief, Inc. (USA, 2015–present) RTÉ Does Comic Relief (2020) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Top Gear of the Pops](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_of_the_Pops) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_of_the_Pops?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.