# Top Ground Gear Force

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2008 British TV series or programme

Top Ground Gear Force Presented by Jeremy Clarkson Richard Hammond James May Country of origin United Kingdom No. of episodes 1 Production Running time 30 minutes (45 minutes with charity breaks) Original release Network BBC Two Release 14 March 2008 (2008-03-14) Related Top Gear, Ground Force

***Top Ground Gear Force*** is a one-off TV special, featuring the presenters of [BBC](/source/BBC)'s *[Top Gear](/source/Top_Gear_(2002_TV_series))*, which originally aired on [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two) at 22:00 GMT on 14 March 2008 as part of [Sport Relief 2008](/source/Sport_Relief).[1] It was repeated on [Easter Monday](/source/Easter_Monday), 2008.

It borrowed its format from *[Top Gear of the Pops](/source/Top_Gear_of_the_Pops)*, a similar one-off special which aired as part of [Comic Relief 2007](/source/Comic_Relief_(charity)). Whereas *Top Gear of The Pops* combined *Top Gear* with *[Top of the Pops](/source/Top_of_the_Pops)*, this episode combines the motoring show with *[Ground Force](/source/Ground_Force)*, a gardening makeover show which ran on the BBC from 1998 to 2005.

Regular *Top Gear* hosts [Jeremy Clarkson](/source/Jeremy_Clarkson), [James May](/source/James_May) and [Richard Hammond](/source/Richard_Hammond) take over sportsman [Steve Redgrave](/source/Steve_Redgrave)'s garden, to dispense advice on creating a zero maintenance lawn, installing an impressive water feature and getting rid of unwanted plants. Naturally, disaster ensues. *Top Ground Gear Force* was then included as a page in the 2009 *Big Book of Top Gear*, giving advice to garden problems including concreting the garden over, petrol bombs and flash fires.

## Synopsis

Clarkson and May 'pretend' to attack Hammond with shovels

Rear of Jeremy Clarkson's jacket

The *Top Gear* team impersonate and belittle the show *[Ground Force](/source/Ground_Force)*, and provide a garden makeover for British Olympian [Sir Steve Redgrave](/source/Steve_Redgrave). Helping them are a team of "Foreign Nationals", and on hand to provide advice on Redgrave's tastes was his wife, [Ann Redgrave](/source/Ann_Redgrave), who was erroneously addressed and referred to as "Lady Ann" rather than the proper "Lady Redgrave".

As the team's only '[country bumpkin](/source/Yokel)', Hammond decided to designate himself as the team leader. However, his plan to build a 'river of gravel' failed to impress Clarkson and May, who wanted to include a [water feature](/source/Water_feature) and a [shed](/source/Shed), respectively. Deciding to go ahead with his plans to create a 'river of gravel', Hammond uses a small Caterpillar digger to dig a trench in the garden. Meanwhile, Clarkson and May arrive back from a garden center with their desired equipment, only to destroy the push bike of one of Redgrave's children.

After crashing the digger, Hammond sets out building a round-the-tree seat to be placed at the end of his 'river of gravel'. However, Clarkson quickly points out that despite the seat being complete, Hammond has no way of placing it around the tree, as it has been constructed as a sole piece.

Later, Clarkson has the tricky job of removing a rockery in order to build his water feature. His explanation of his decision for using a homemade bomb to finish the job quickly and easily is made more difficult with the arrival of the [Salvation Army Brass Band](/source/Salvation_Army_brass_band) drowning his voice out. Ultimately, the bomb is successful, destroying the rockery in one clean sweep—and all of the windows and one of the walls of May's shed.

Afterwards, Clarkson moves on to his next project—erecting rugby posts in the garden, despite being told that none of Redgrave's family plays rugby. With May having successfully rebuilt his shed again, it's not long before Clarkson and the Poles lose grip on the rugby posts, and destroy part of the shed again. Hammond, then, has moved on to his last project, a turbo-charged barbecue system, which allows the user to cook varieties of meat in under five minutes, using a [jet engine](/source/Jet_engine) to rotate the meat and cook it. Mays shed is then set on fire by the out-of-control jet engine. An enraged and frantic James May attempts to put the fire out before it can take hold, but he is unable to grab hold of the fire extinguisher which Clarkson now holds.

In the midst of this latest calamity, the team suddenly receives word that Redgrave is now pulling into the drive. Despite two abandoned Caterpillar diggers, an abandoned crane, a burning shed, a ruined lawn and a destructive barbecue, the team are forced to go ahead and unveil the garden to a furious Redgrave. Clarkson and May initially attempt to blame the entire debacle on Hammond, but eventually, after Clarkson talking to him privately, lightening Redgrave's mood.

The special ends when Clarkson activates his turbo-powered water feature which sends the top of the fountain flying through the air and crashing into the greenhouse he built, destroying every window upon impact.

## Ratings

On its first showing in the UK on [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two), the programme obtained 4.5 million viewers which equated to a 22% audience share for its timeslot between 10pm and 10.40pm. The programme was part of the *[Sport Relief](/source/Sport_Relief)* fundraising evening. The *Sport Relief* programmes preceding it on [BBC One](/source/BBC_One) between 7pm and 10pm averaged 6.2 million viewers (28% audience share) and the *Sport Relief* programmes on BBC One between 10.50pm and 1am averaged 2.6 million viewers (29% audience share).[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bbc1_1-0)** ["BBC Two Programmes"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009gl7h). [BBC](/source/BBC). Retrieved 12 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Holmwood, Leigh (17 March 2008). ["Sport Relief pulls in punters to BBC1"](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/mar/17/tvratings.television2). *The Guardian*.

## External links

- [*Top Ground Gear Force*](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009gl7h) at [BBC Online](/source/BBC_Online)

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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)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Top Ground Gear Force](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Ground_Gear_Force) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Ground_Gear_Force?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.