First aired in 1977 on BBC Midlands as an essentially factual programme about cars and road safety,

Question:

First aired in 1977 on BBC Midlands as an essentially factual programme about cars and road safety, Top Gear has been a familiar item on the BBC schedules since 1978 when it transferred to national TV. Originally hosted by the newsreader Angela Rippon amongst others, the show continued as a regular but uncontroversial series until 1988 when Jeremy Clarkson, a motoring journalist, joined the crew. This signalled a change of emphasis, and the show became famous for its macho, ‘boy racer’ enthusiasm for speed and excitement over informative content. It attracted a (predominantly) male audience, and thereafter the show’s popularity has remained high, despite a slum in viewing figures when Clarkson left (temporarily as it turned out) in 1999. The 2008–9 season saw it once more achieving record viewing figures of between 7m and 7.5m, around 25 per cent of audience share. Since a major revamp of the show’s format in 2001, it has morphed into a blend of car review, driving news and comment, liberally interspersed with stunts, challenges and unlikely races. These have become a centrepiece of the show; memorable items include the increasingly desperate attempts to ‘kill’ a Toyota Hilux, a drive across the desert in Botswana in locally bought used cars, and a race up (and back down) a mountain between an Audi and a speed climber; not to mention regular features involving caravan abuse.53 The team’s propensity for ‘mucking about’ gives the distinct impression that Richmal Crompton’s William and the Outlaws have got older and become TV presenters. So, what makes the show tick? An important part of the appeal is certainly the blend of personalities in what is described on the show’s microsite as ‘the team with the best jobs in telly’.

Your tasks

1. Analyse the main team members using Belbin’s team roles as a framework. Which roles do the members appear to fit? N.B. One person may have both a main role and a back-up role. Are there any significant components missing?

2. Top Gear is criticised for being all male and exhibiting ‘laddish’ behaviour. Do you think the BBC should add a woman to the team? Explain the reasoning for your answer.

3. To what extent do you think the team is susceptible to the ‘groupthink’ phenomenon? Suggest ways in which the production team could ensure that this does not damage the workings of the team.

4. Visit the Top Gear website and watch one of the longer pieces involving a challenge. Using the observation grid in Figure 9.4 or the classification of task roles, building and maintenance roles and individual roles, observe the team at work and report back on your findings. Figure 9.4 Observation sheet for behaviour in groups Nature of group Nature of activity Date Name of